EPISODE TWELVE
SECRETS
Reveal not every secret you have to a friend, for how can you tell but that friend may hereafter become an enemy. And bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend. Saadi (1184 - 1291)
Lana walked out of the front door of the Kent home, Hudson following behind. They stopped at the edge of the porch, where Lana gazed up at the night sky. The past two weeks had been another growing period for their friendship. With things the way they were between Hudson and Lex ever since the Desiree Atkins fiasco, there was suddenly much more time for the two friends to spend together. Plus, Lana knew that Hudson secretly needed someone to lean on, someone to be there to listen even when she didn't feel like talking.
Turning to look at her friend standing beside her, Lana frowned. She wasn't a fool; she knew how much Hudson missed Lex. Ever since their separation, she just hadn't been the same person. She didn't smile as much, didn't laugh, was never in the mood to do anything other than go home after school and finish her chores. Lana wished there was something she could do to make things right again. As much as she felt Hudson would be better off if she just forgave Lex for what happened and moved on with her life, Lana understood why she couldn't. She was protecting herself - it was a natural reaction to being hurt like that. Still, it was painfully obvious how much happier her friend would be with Lex back at her side.
"Thanks for letting me come over to study tonight," Lana commented, giving Hudson a smile. "It's always so. peaceful at your place. And it always smells like cinnamon and baked apples. Plus, I got to eat your mom's famous pot roast."
Hudson shrugged, hanging the toe of her boot over the edge of the step as she stared down at it. "You know that you're always welcome."
Lana nodded, and then reached out and tucked a strand of Hudson's hair behind her ear. "I wish you would make up with Lex. You'd be so much happier."
"Would I?" Hudson looked over at her, expression doubtful. "Or would I constantly be waiting for him to hurt me again?"
"But it wasn't his fault. "
She sighed and sat down on the top porch step. "I know that, Lana. And I know that if he could have stopped it from happening, he would have. Lex didn't mean to hurt me." Hudson shook her head. "But he did. And that. scares the hell out of me. I mean, he was such a huge part of my life and when Desiree appeared. " She paused, worrying her lower lip. "It felt like I was dying."
Sitting on the step beside her, Lana considered her friend's words quietly before suggesting, "So maybe you remain a little more cautious this time around. Don't get so close so quickly. Take your time - "
"It couldn't work like that," Hudson cut in, grimacing. "If Lex and I do get back together, our relationship is going to have to advance to a higher level. We couldn't take a step back. Neither of us are built like that. It would be all or nothing this time around and I just don't know if I'm ready for that anymore. "
"I guess you can't expect to be safe if you want to be in love."
Hudson smiled a little. "Especially if you want to be in love with Lex Luthor."
Lana returned her smile. "I'd better go. Nell will begin to think I ran away." On impulse, she leaned over and kissed Hudson's cheek. "Good night."
Jumping to her feet, she hugged her books close to her chest as she hurried over to her aunt's truck and opened the door, tossing her homework across the seat and climbing in. Having no idea why she just decided to kiss Hudson like that, Lana tried not to dwell on it as she started the engine and pulled away from the Kent farm. After all, it was done. She couldn't take it back or anything. And anyway, it was just a friendly kiss, to let Hudson know she was there and stuff.
Hudson smelled really nice. She wondered if Lex thought so as well. She smelled kind of tangy, like fresh green apples, and her skin was really soft, too. It was weird - whenever they had class together, Lana found that she spent most of her time just watching Hudson, and if that didn't indicate a crush, she didn't know what did. Sometimes she just tried to blame it on the mystery of her friend, all of the questions that seemed to surround her. Hudson always behaved as if she were carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, like she knew more about the fate of humankind or something than anyone else did. And Lana refused to believe that it was more than just coincidence that Hudson Kent was often referred to as the local hero in town - she always seemed to be there when her friends needed her. Not just as a shoulder to cry on but as an honest-to-God guardian angel who saved her friends from life-threatening situations. That alone made Hudson weird. Add her often-strange behavior and the questions she always danced around or outright refused to answer and yes, Hudson became a very fascinating and mysterious individual.
The fact that she was really nice to look at, too, was simply a bonus.
Sighing, Lana reached down and turned up the radio, frowning a little when the deejay insisted on talking at length about the upcoming Crows football game instead of just playing music. She really needed to stop thinking about Hudson so much. They were just friends and Lana didn't really know if she wanted to try any more than that. Beyond the obvious fact that a relationship between her and Hudson wouldn't work in a town like Smallville, there was the whole question as to if she would even like it. She'd always been partial to guys; her feelings for Hudson were an aberration and that didn't make them right.
Besides, she was torn. On the one hand, she had these secret feelings for Hudson and she was tempted to test them out. On the other hand, she knew how much her friend loved Lex and she wanted her to be happy and she would do just about anything to get them back together again. Seriously, Hudson wasn't the only one suffering. As weird as it was to see, Lex wasn't exactly behaving like himself lately either. Lana had this strange belief that he only came to the Talon anymore as an excuse to see Hudson. He would sit there for hours until she finally came in and then Lana would catch him just watching her from across the room. When Hudson finally left, Lex would, too. Sometimes, she just wanted to smack some sense into both of them, even if she did understand Hudson's reluctance.
Not to mention her own selfishness; because other than Chloe, and occasionally Pete, right now Lana had all of Hudson's attention, and she was just fine with that.
The ringing of her cell phone snapped Lana out of her thoughts and she reached into her purse blindly, while keeping her eyes on the road, searching for her phone. Flipping it open, she held it up to her ear. "Hello?"
"Lana, honey." Aunt Nell. "Could you do me a favor before you head home?"
She didn't bother mentioning that she was just about to pull into the drive. "Sure."
"Swing by the Talon and pick up the insurance paperwork for me. I left it all in a manila folder on the desk. I have a meeting with the adjuster in the morning."
"Okay. I'll be home soon."
"Thanks, sweetie."
Tossing her phone back into her purse, Lana pulled up into the drive before backing out onto the road and heading toward town. Driving along the back edge of the Luthor Estate, her thoughts returned to Lex and Hudson and what she could do to hopefully get them comfortable with one another again. Lock them in a room until they have it out? She doubted that would work. Maybe she could talk to Lex. If he understood what Hudson's fears were, if he knew what it was she needed to hear in the way of assurances, then maybe they could work things out.
But did she really want that?
Squinting at the road ahead, Lana applied pressure to the brakes when she realized there was a car blocking the road ahead. She honked the horn and the car sped away past her. Frowning, she watched it go before noticing lights ahead in the trees on the side of the road. Pulling to a stop, she hopped out of the truck and peered into the darkness where she heard a horn sounding repeatedly as if stuck. The underbrush ahead was flattened and bark was torn from a nearby tree.
"Hello?" She called out, starting forward slowly until she began to make out the shape of a van lying upside down in the thicket of trees. "Oh no!"
Rushing forward, she moved to the driver's side of the vehicle, kneeling to the ground to look inside the window where the driver was conscious, though he appeared to be trapped. She knocked on the glass and called out, "Hello? Sir? Are you all right?"
He was ignoring her, staring straight ahead as if fixated on something. That or he really was badly hurt.
"Hello?" She called again.
Still nothing. Curious as to what had his attention, Lana turned her head to the right, following his gaze, her eyes widening at the strange object that was illuminated by the glow of the headlights.
***
Hudson picked up the phone to call Lex three different times before she finally forced herself outside where the temptation of having the phone nearby wasn't as great. She tried to blame it on boredom - her parents were in Grandville looking at pigs, Pete was working at the courthouse after school these days and Chloe was in Metropolis visiting her cousin for the evening. Hudson figured Lana was at the Talon, and she considered going there to visit. The only problem was, it seemed every time Hudson went there lately, Lex was there as well. And he would watch her, and sometimes they'd talk a little, but it was always uncomfortable and forced and the tension was impossibly thick.
It wasn't like she was trying to avoid him. Okay, so she'd had her mom make the deliveries to the castle for the past two weeks and she never bothered calling him but that didn't mean she didn't want to see Lex. She just didn't know if she was ready for a deep, meaningful conversation between them. A vindictive little part of her still wanted to make Lex pay for the hurt he caused her. While the larger, more reasonable part thought the entire situation was ridiculous and she needed to just grow up and accept that bad things happen.
Unfortunately, she wasn't quite mature enough to accept that reasoning yet.
It didn't mean she didn't miss Lex, though. Day in and day out, he was still all that she thought about. She dreamed about him at night, and daydreamed about him in the day. Her favorite daydream involved him showing up in his limo and whisking her away to his penthouse in Metropolis, where he planned on spending as long as it took to convince her to forgive him while he held her captive in bed. Of course, it never took her long to forgive him, even though she didn't admit as much. She wanted to be held captive there as long as possible. Hudson even shared that little fantasy with Lana, who thought it was positively the most romantic thing she'd ever heard.
Scooping up the basketball that lay on the ground outside the picket fence, Hudson twirled it on her index finger for a moment before tossing it behind her back toward the basket that was on the other side of the yard. It landed perfectly through the center of the hoop and Hudson couldn't help but feel a momentary sense of pride at that fact. Okay, so she had a natural physical ability that allowed her to excel at all sports - too bad she wasn't allowed to use it. Her parents would never have to worry about bills again if they would just allow her to exploit her abilities a little bit.
Hearing an approaching vehicle, Hudson turned to glance down the drive and watch as Nell Potter's truck drove into view. Lana waved to her through the windshield before bringing the pickup to a stop a few feet in front of her. She leaned out the open window.
"Hey! You busy?"
Hudson shrugged as she walked over to the door. "Not particularly. In the mood to go riding?"
"No. I need to show you something. Get in." She pointed to the passenger door before slipping the truck out of park.
Squinting at her friend for a moment, Hudson glanced back toward the house, knowing it would be a few hours before her parents returned. Well, whatever Lana wanted to show her had to be better than picking the phone up and setting it back down over and over again. Pulling the door open, she slid into the cab as Lana pulled back to the driveway and onto the road, heading east.
"So, what's going?" Hudson glanced over at her friend.
Lana shook her head. "If I told you what I think it is, you'd never believe me. You're just going to have to see it with your own eyes," she replied. "I'm hoping you can tell me what you think we should do."
Brow furrowing, Hudson shrugged, leaning her elbow on the ledge of the door, chin resting on her palm as she stared out at the passing scenery. There were only a few weeks left to enjoy the green leaves of the trees. Soon, everything in nature would be splashed with the colors of Fall, her mom's favorite time of the year. Hudson could remember making cards and pictures for her parents of leaf patterns and brown, gold and red leaves glued onto black construction paper. Her mom still had each and every piece of artwork from elementary school hidden away in the attic. The days of paste and crayons were long gone, and Hudson missed them terribly at that moment. It certainly beat having your heart ripped out and trampled on by black stilettos.
Speaking of Lex. "Why are we going to Lex's?" Hudson sat up straighter and glanced over at Lana.
"We're not." She pulled onto the shoulder, a couple hundred yards from the entrance gate to the estate. "Come on."
Hudson watched as Lana climbed out of the cab of the truck before following suit. She closed the door behind her, glancing down the road toward the gates, wondering if Lex was home and if he was thinking of her. It was silly and selfish but she really hoped that he was. Sure, she'd never know, but just pretending seemed to be enough.
"Are you coming?"
Glancing away from the road, Hudson watched her friend move through the underbrush into the woods that surrounded the Luthor property. Hurrying after Lana, she found that there was a wide swath cut through the trees leading to an overturned van. Stopping, she looked over it for a moment before asking, "Is this the van you pulled that guy from last night? What's so great about it that you had to show me?"
Lana peered out from around the front of the vehicle. "Not the van, silly." She waved her hand impatiently. "Come here."
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she walked alongside the van to where Lana was waiting for her and pointing. Lifting her gaze, Hudson stared in muted shock at the ship - her ship - that lay in the heavily wooded thicket on Lex's property. Not far from the road. Where anyone could have found it. Including anyone who worked for Lex. Or his father.
Or Lana.
"When I saw it last night, I just knew I had to show it to you first."
Hudson opened her mouth to reply, couldn't form words, and promptly closed it again as Lana moved forward and knelt beside the ship. She ran her hands over the surface before looking up at Hudson expectantly.
"Ummm. what do you think it is?" Hudson was hoping for an answer somewhere along the lines of a weather balloon.
"I'm not certain," Lana replied with a quick shake of her head. "But it looks like a spaceship. See how it's pointed on the end and rounded here? It's just like something you see in cartoons!"
Hell. Cartoons? She tried not to take offense to that. "A spaceship?" Hudson repeated, forcing a smile. "More than likely it's just a satellite or high-tech crop-duster. Or. or even some weird piece of modern art that Lex is too embarrassed to admit he purchased."
"No, I don't think so." Lana settled her hands on her hips as she rose to her feet. "I mean, look at it. Even the surface of it is all weird and stuff. And you should touch it - it feels kind of warm." She looked over at Hudson. "I really think it's from outer space, H.C."
"Yeah. I bet there's little green men running around Lex's property too, Lana," Hudson remarked, trying to find humor in the situation. She waved a hand at the ship. "Tiny green men. And I do mean tiny. Do you see the size of that thing?"
How did the ship get here? Had it come looking for her the day of the storm?
"I'm serious, H.C.," Lana replied, pointing to the ship. "Have you ever seen anything like it?"
Yeah. In our storm cellar. About four months ago. "Look, Lana, if aliens came to Earth, don't you think they'd find somewhere a little more exciting to visit than Smallville?"
"Not really." Lana shrugged. "I mean look at all of the books and stuff that Chloe's always reading - about crop circles and cattle mutations. Somewhere like Smallville is perfect." Hudson continued to stare down at her ship, frowning. She was surprised to find that Lana was so ready to believe in aliens from outer space. Seriously, if she wasn't what she was and someone walked up to her and claimed there was a spaceship in the woods, she would have them committed or something.
"What do you think we should do? I mean, we should tell someone, right?"
"Huh?" Hudson blinked at Lana's questions before catching what she'd asked. "Oh. Ummm. we should probably take it back to my place. Then. then we can ask my dad what to do."
Lana furrowed her brow. "Are you sure? I really think we should call someone, H.C.. Like the authorities? I didn't tell Sheriff Ethan about it when he questioned me at the hospital last night because I wanted you to see it first. I mean, I didn't want you to think I'm insane or anything." She blushed a little in embarrassment before waving her hand to the ship. "But it could be dangerous."
"I don't think it is. I mean, look at it. It's just sitting there." Hudson shook her head. "Come on. Together we should be able to get it into the truck. Then we'll take it back to the farm. It'll be safe there. Okay?"
Her friend hesitated only a moment longer before stepping forward and nodding. "Okay. If you think that's where we should take it." Her tone suggested she didn't agree.
Of course, Hudson didn't need her help with the ship, but it would have looked a little suspicious if she just picked the thing up and tossed it into the back of the truck. They both took a position behind it and pushed, carefully moving it through the leaves and the dirt around the side of the overturned van. All the while, Hudson made certain to take most of the work herself, while still not using her full strength so that it seemed rather difficult and heavy to push to Lana. She couldn't help but wonder if the ship had the ability to get scuff marks and scratches? Or was it impervious to anything they attempted to do to it?
"Now what?" Lana straightened when they reached the back of the pickup before stepping around the ship to open the tailgate.
Now I just pick it up and toss it into the truck. "Ummm. we'll lift it up by the front there, and place it on the truck, then push it from the back," Hudson suggested, moving to join Lana by the nose of the ship.
"Are you sure we can?" Lana asked, staring at it with a frown. "It's kind of heavy."
"It'll be fine. We'll just do a little bit at a time," Hudson encouraged, knowing she would take most of the weight.
They reached down together and lifted the front half of the ship onto the back of the truck, watching closely as it teetered precariously on its end. Waving her to the back, Hudson waited for Lana to join her then they slid their hands beneath the flat surface and heaved it upwards, sliding it onto the bed of the truck.
"See?" Hudson flashed her a nervous smile. "Easy."
Lana frowned briefly before heading toward the cab. Sighing, Hudson followed. She just wanted to get the ship back into the cellar, and forget this ever happened. Hopefully her friend could do the same.
They were both silent on the way to the farm. Hudson's mind whirled with a million questions that she wanted to ply Lana with. Did she find it freaky to think that a spaceship might have landed? That there might be aliens among them? What would she do if she knew an alien? Never before did Hudson have someone important to her come this close to knowing her secret. It was kind of exciting. And kind of terrifying. While Lana questioned the strange occurrences and Hudson's ability to always be at the right place at the right time, she usually just let the matter go. But Hudson knew that if it had been Lex who found the ship, this entire situation would be completely different.
Holding back the sigh of relief as they passed beneath the Kent Farm sign, Hudson glanced over at Lana, noting that the frown on her face had grown darker. She was obviously thinking about something that was bothering her. Hoping to waylay her thoughts as the truck came to a stop, Hudson told her, "Come on. Let's get this thing unloaded. We can hide it in the barn until my parents get home." She opened the door to hop out of the truck.
Without another word between them, they unloaded the ship from the back of the pickup in the same manner that they got it in, then spent the next few minutes pushing it into the barn. Sighing with no small amount of relief once it was safely inside, Hudson turned to find Lana watching her, brow still furrowed in thought.
"H.C.. "
Hudson sucked in a breath. "Yeah?"
"I think we should take it to the police."
Please, Lana. Don't do this now. "That's not necessary. My dad - "
"I'm the one who found it, H.C." Lana shook her head as she settled her hands on her hips and looked up at her friend. "I've already lied to the police because I didn't know what else to do. Whatever this thing is, it could be dangerous and I think we need to alert somebody to it."
"It's not dangerous, Lana."
"How do you know?" She demanded.
"Well. It didn't do anything to us while we were bumping and scraping it along the ground."
Lana reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "I'm calling the sheriff's department."
"Lana, no." Hudson took a step toward her, hoping her panic wasn't showing. "That isn't. just wait, okay?"
"No, H.C. This is important." She pointed to the ship with her phone. "You're not the one who could get into trouble here. I've had enough weird things happen to me around this town that the last thing I want to do is give more people reason to come after me. You could be right - it might not be a spaceship. But what if it's a bomb? Or anything else that shouldn't be here?"
"It's not a bomb," Hudson muttered, frustration mounting.
"You don't know that." Lana dialed the numbers into her cell phone and held it to her ear, flashing a sharp look at Hudson as she did so.
Panic setting in, Hudson jumped forward and yanked the phone from Lana's hand, tossing it to the ground and stepping on it. The crunch beneath her boot signaled that Lana wouldn't be making that call.
Her friend stared at her in shock for a long moment before demanding, "What has gotten into you? I can't believe you just did that! What - suddenly you could give a damn whether or not I get in trouble with the police?"
"Lana, that isn't it. You aren't going to get into trouble," Hudson defended.
"I obviously shouldn't have taken you out there with me. Maybe I should have trusted Chloe instead," Lana snapped. "She would have made the decision to do the right thing. You're - you're withholding evidence!"
"What? Lana, that's insane. Evidence against what?"
"I don't know. But you obviously don't care what happens to me." Lana turned and stalked away, headed out of the barn and back to the driver's side of the truck. "You probably want to show it to Lex or something. Let the Luthor money figure out what to do with it. Hide it away while, in the meantime, everyone comes looking to me for answers."
"That isn't it at all." Hudson followed her. "Lana. Stop. Where are you going?"
"Since you destroyed my phone, I'll just go to the station personally and tell Sheriff Ethan everything. I have the ship. You don't."
"Dammit, Lana." Hudson caught up to her as she slammed the door. "If our friendship means anything to you, don't do this. Please?"
Lana turned to glare at Hudson, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Why? It obviously means nothing to you." Shifting the gears into reverse, Lana turned the truck around and headed down the drive.
Hudson stood staring after the pickup in shock. What was she supposed to do? Her parents weren't here to help her out of this situation. If Lana got to the police station and told Ethan everything, certainly they would come out to investigate. While it was possible her mom and dad would be back by then, even if they were able to hide it from detection, there would likely be a lot more attention cast in their direction. And then what?
She didn't think of the consequences. All Hudson knew in that instant was that a) her secret could possibly be in danger of being handed to the wrong people, and b) her friendship with Lana was in serious jeopardy. Whatever past transgressions she and Lana might forgive one another for, Hudson knew she'd gone too far this time. And there was only one way out of that.
The Truth.
She wasn't thinking when she sped down the drive and moved in front of the truck. She wasn't thinking when she slammed her hands onto the hood of the vehicle and stopped it in its tracks. Thought continued to elude her as she and Lana stared at one another through the windshield, her friend's expression one of confusion and shock. The reflection of her own in the glass, resignation.
"Lana," she called out quietly once truck stopped spinning its tires. "We have to talk."
***
Lex sat staring at his cell phone, running all of the reasons not to call Hudson through his mind. She was being incredibly selfish, after all, thinking that this entire situation was all about her. Apparently only her feelings mattered. But what about him? He was the one who almost lost everything to a gorgeous, conniving bitch that he'd been foolish enough to marry. He'd even been set on fire! And yet, it only mattered that Hudson was hurt. Hudson sat in jail for a few hours. Hudson was accused of arson. He yelled at her. Oh, boo hoo.
Then again, Hudson was only sixteen. He was her first relationship, and he truly believed she loved him. He didn't know why, and it was probably best that he didn't bother contemplating the question of why too closely. What mattered was that she loved him, she trusted him and he'd betrayed all of that by getting married. He'd hurt her, deeply; the kind of hurt that stayed with you.
He hadn't meant to do it, though. That was the main problem. Desiree was yet another in the long line of mutant freaks that had a particular affinity for seeking Lex out and screwing him over. He didn't know what he was doing; he'd been under the impression that the woman loved him, and he loved her. He'd even felt it. Or, at least, felt something that he believed was supposed to be love. It wasn't his fault. Hudson should know him better than that, know that every action he made was completely against his nature. If he'd known what he was doing, Lex never, ever would have gone so far as to hurt Hudson like that.
Only, he was forced to admit he had to accept some of the blame. He'd let Desiree get close, too close. She was a beautiful woman, and he'd been bored and intrigued and those made for a difficult combination. Even if he never planned on allowing anything to happen, he'd opened the door for the possibility by inviting her to have a drink with him. Lex allowed his baser instincts to get in the way of what was right, to act on the moment, and he'd hurt the one person he truly cared about in doing so.
What if their situations were reversed? Lex knew he wouldn't have taken it very well if another man had been with Hudson, kissing her, fucking her. God, he would rip the hands off of any man who touched her. Even with the carefully schooled self-control his father beat into him continually, Lex knew that he wouldn't mutely stand by and watch Hudson commit herself to someone else. She belonged to him, dammit.
Grabbing his cell, Lex flipped to the phone book where the Kent's number was listed at the top. Hitting speed dial, he waited as the line began to ring, tapping his fingers impatiently on the glass top of his desk.
"Hi. You've reached the Kent Farm. If you're calling to place an order for our organic produce, please leave your name, number and the items you're looking for and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a nice day!"
Sighing at the familiar sound of Martha's message, Lex considered leaving a message but instead closed the phone, tossing it back to his desk. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was better this way - that they remain simple friends and forget that anything more ever occurred between them. After all, he'd done little more for Hudson than succeed in hurting her over and over again. He knew that somewhere down the line, not to far in the future, he would end up hurting her again.
Rising from his chair, Lex moved over to the bar to pour himself a glass of juice. Unfortunately, seeing the oranges and apples stacked in the bowl at the end of the countertop reminded him how much he screwed up. Hudson wasn't even making deliveries to the castle anymore. Last Sunday he'd hung around the kitchen with Dodd, waiting for her to show up, only to find Mrs. Kent appearing at the door, box of produce in hand. She'd seemed embarrassed, made some comment about flighty teenagers, and then hurried back out the door.
The worst of it was, Lex kept waiting for the study doors to fling open and Hudson to come bouncing into the room, full of too much energy, begging him to go riding or play pool or drive into Salina to grab some burgers at the Cozy Inn. An argument regarding all of the work he had to do would ensue and eventually they would end up on the couch, making out, forgetting about going outdoors or working on reports, and it would be a perfect day. Only, it wouldn't because it wasn't going to happen.
It was because of Hudson that Lex grew used to unexpected visitors at any time, night or day. Not long ago, he would have been more alert to people moving through the house who shouldn't have been there. The staff was used to allowing guests to wander the premises and even he barely noticed when the doors to the room he was in opened. Maybe he should be more aware, but Lex couldn't help but feel safe in Smallville, no matter what outrageous occurrences happened to him. His angel lived here, which automatically made him safe. He was certain that no matter what might happen between them, Hudson would always be there when he needed her.
Sipping at his juice, Lex glanced over at his phone, sitting on the glass desktop, taunting him. He glared at it, wishing he could dare it to ring, when he heard the click of the study doors behind. Trying not to put all his faith in hope, Lex turned, only to frown and fight to suppress a sigh at the sight of his father, and a LuthorCorp lackey, moving in through the doors.
"Lex? Lex, are you in here?" Lionel called out, his walking stick making tapping noises against the ground as his assistant guided him into the room.
Lex found himself wishing the assistant was blind, too. Then he could just quietly sneak out the side door and pretend he left for the day. To China or something. Sighing, he glanced over at his father. "Yeah, Dad, I'm right here. I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you."
He watched as the assistant reached up to take Lionel's coat but his father batted his hands away angrily. "No! Get out."
Smiling a bit in amusement, Lex moved forward to take his father's arm and lead him forward to one of the chairs. "Is everything all right?" He asked, taking a seat across from him. "Your doctors tell me your recovery is going well."
It was difficult for Lex to discuss his father's injuries with him - the physical therapy, the blindness, everything that Lex was responsible for. Simple discussion brought back the memories, how he stood there, thinking life would be easier without his father around, that all he had to do was not help him, claim the storm killed him. And even when he'd tried to make things right, when he changed his mind and wanted to save his father, knew that he couldn't live with himself if he'd let anything happen - even then he'd screwed up, waited too long, hurt his father anyway. Then came the decision to let them go ahead with surgery too soon. A decision that left his father blind.
Every bit of it was Lex's fault, and there was nothing he could do to change that.
"It is," Lionel replied with a smile and a nod. "So well, in fact, that Dr. Roland suggested I take a break from the rigors of physical therapy. He thought that some time away from the uh. stress of living and working in Metropolis would be more. beneficial right now."
"Of all the places you could have gone you decided to come here?" Something was up, Lex was certain of it.
"We'll have a chance for some father-son bonding. You've always told me I've been lax in that requirement, Lex." Lionel smiled again.
Lex refrained from replying that there was such a thing as too little, too late. Instead, he asked, "How long are you planning to stay?"
"A few days, maybe a week."
For the first time since the storm, Lex was pleased that his father was blind. This way, he was unable to see the look of shock and possible panic that was likely clearly expressed on his face. He took a moment to digest this information, staring at his father's dark glasses, wondering what his motives were for choosing Smallville as opposed to the dozens of other vacation houses scattered around the world.
"Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable at the beach house?" He suggested when he regained the power of speech. "I think the sea air would be invigorating."
"I'm getting the distinct impression, Lex, that you don't want me here," Lionel accused, frowning just a bit.
Blind or not, his father certainly hadn't lost his powers of intuition, that was for certain. Lionel was right - Lex didn't want him there. It had been years since they'd last lived in the same confines and only by moving into the penthouse had Lex succeeded in not committing patricide at an early age. This was a bad idea. Of that, Lex was certain.
Of course, he couldn't and wouldn't say as much to his father. Not when it was his responsibility that Lionel was here in the first place. He owed his father, at least this much, to offer to take care of him for awhile. To call a temporary truce between them.
"No, Father," he denied, hoping he sounded sincere. "I just want what's best for you. Stay as long as you like."
Lionel smiled and settled back against the couch, leaving Lex to wonder if he hadn't just been suckered in by the world's biggest guilt trip.
***
Hudson sat on the porch step, staring down the drive when she heard the familiar sound of her parents truck approaching. She sighed and chewed on a fingernail. How was she supposed to explain what she did today?
The talk with Lana. hadn't gone well. She shouldn't have expected it to, and now Hudson understood what her parents always warned her about. After all, how was a person supposed to take the news that aliens are real? Let alone that the best friend you thought you knew happens to be one.
For minutes after Hudson stopped the truck, they just stared at one another before Lana finally opened the door and slid out of the cab. She'd approached Hudson warily, waiting for an explanation, an apology - likely anything other than what Hudson had to tell her.
"Lana, I. You can't tell anyone about the ship."
"How did you just do that?" Lana pointed to the truck, ignoring her words.
"I... " Hudson swallowed. Now that she was able to think again, she realized this was a really dumb idea. But there was no way out. No quick little lie would get her out of this one. "That ship. I. It's mine."
Lana stared at her, her expression unchanging, disbelieving.
"Thirteen years ago, my ship landed here in Smallville, and the Kents found me and took me in to raise as their own." God, it sounded unreal, even to her own ears.
Lana opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, then closed it again. Instead, she simply shook her head.
"Lana, it's true. Think about it - all of those times I've saved you and never offered you an explanation as to how, the truck just now." She waved a hand toward the truck, knowing she was babbling and not caring. "Remember your necklace? The meteor rock? It always made me sick when you got too close. That's why I've only ever been able to really get close to you after you stopped wearing it. I'm allergic to the meteor rock and - "
"So you're some sort of... what? You're not a human?"
Hudson blinked. It really hurt to hear that from the people that mattered. "I don't know what I am, Lana. I don't know where that ship brought me from. I just know that I grew up in Smallville, and everything that I care about and everyone that I care about is here."
"If you care about me so much, how come you never told me sooner?" Her friend demanded.
"Lana, believe me, there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't want to tell you, but my parents thought it was too dangerous. Not just for me, but for anyone else who knew the truth."
Lana took a step back. "You didn't think I could handle it?"
"Can you?" Hudson frowned as the girl began walking around her slowly, looking at her as if she was some kind of fascinating bug. She tried not to let that hurt even more. "Lana, another reason why I didn't say anything is because I knew people would look at me the exact same way that you're looking at me right now."
"And how's that?" She backed up a little, wrapping her arms around herself protectively.
"Like a freak," she replied, sighing when Lana's eyes widened a little in confirmation. "Lana, I've tried my whole life just to blend in, to try and be more normal than anyone else."
Lana didn't say anything. Just continued to stare at her, hugging herself.
"Would you just say something?" Hudson pleaded, the desperation coming through in her voice. "Call me... call me an alien, call me a monster. I don't care, just say something."
"It's like I don't even know you," Lana whispered.
Hudson winced, and took a step toward her, holding her hand out. "Yes, you do know me. I'm the same girl who pulled on your pigtails in first grade and goes riding with you and spent an entire weekend over the summer watching Keanu Reeves' movies. Nothing has changed."
A strange expression fell over Lana's face and her hand fluttered upwards between them, covering her mouth. "Thirteen years. oh my god. You. the meteor shower. "
Shaking her head quickly, Hudson took another step toward Lana. "Lana, no. I. I mean, yes, my ship came with the meteors but I don't know anything about them. I don't know why it happened and - "
"You killed my parents!" Lana shouted, tears escaping from her eyes. "All this time - and you knew!"
"Lana - " Hudson reached out for her, voice breaking at her friend's pain. "Please?"
"Stay away from me!" Lana ran past her, back to the truck, hurriedly climbing in and slamming the door behind her.
"Lana, please! Let me explain," Hudson called out, knowing that it would do no good. Her friend saw her as a murderer, and Hudson couldn't help but think she wasn't far from the truth.
After rousing herself from the pain and fear her conversation with Lana caused, Hudson made her way back up to the barn and moved the ship down into the cellar where it belonged. Suddenly hating the sight of it, she hadn't lingered long, returning to the house to sit on the porch steps and wait for her parents to come home.
"Hey, honey." Hudson looked up to see her mom and dad walking in to the yard, arms loaded with bags of groceries. "What are you doing out here?"
"Waiting for you," she replied quietly, climbing to her feet to take the bags from her mom. She followed her parents into the kitchen, setting the groceries on the counter while her mom began sorting through them.
"Did you get the fence in the south pasture fixed?" Her dad asked, glancing at her from across the kitchen.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"H.C., what's wrong?" Her mom asked as she placed a dozen cans of Coke into the refrigerator. "You seem upset."
Both of her parents looked at her expectantly.
"I, uh, found the ship today."
"What?" Her dad straightened up at her words and moved toward her. "Where was it? Were you able to bring it back?"
"It was tucked back in the woods, on Lex's property," she told them, inwardly sighing when her dad blanched with her words. "It's in the storm cellar now."
"How did you find it?" Martha moved over to them, touching Hudson's arm gently.
"Lana found it." Hudson glanced at her parents before dropping her gaze. "Last night, when she pulled that guy from the van. She came by today to show it to me." "And she hasn't told anyone about it?" Her mom asked, concerned. Hudson shook her head. "No. She wanted to. She wanted to go to the police about it. But I convinced her not to." And you're not going to like my solution. Unfortunately, she didn't have the strength to admit that much to them at the moment. Her world was upside down as it was. She didn't need her parents yelling at her and reminding her what kind of danger she'd put herself in to compound the fear she already felt. Fear at losing her friend, at being alone, at everything. "What did you tell her?" Jonathan asked. Hudson went with her original plan. "That I was going to wait until you got home to find out what we should do." She paused, deciding to gauge their reaction to telling the truth. "What. what do I do if she asks about whether or not you told anyone?" "You're gonna have to play dumb," Jonathan replied with a shrug, like it was expected. "Dad, I'm sick of lying," Hudson told him. And she was. Unfortunately, the truth hadn't turned out to be the best option either. "H.C., you don't have much of a choice here." She nodded, took a deep breath and suggested, "Well, I can tell Lana the truth." "H.C.. "
"Dad, she's not gonna tell anyone." She didn't know that. As angry and hurt as Lana was when she left, she might decide to strike out at Hudson, pay her back for what happened to her parents. But she tried not to think about that.
"Honey, people slip sometimes," her mom told her, patting her arm. "Even the most trustworthy of friends."
Her dad nodded. "This information is way too dangerous for Lana."
"We understand that this secret is a huge burden," Martha continued, tucking a strand of Hudson's hair behind her ear gently. "But if you share it with Lana, you might be giving her a responsibility she's not ready to take on."
Or she might hate you for it. Hudson glanced at her parents, nodding slightly, but didn't bother admitting that the damage had already been done.
***
Hudson was roused from her bed earlier than usual that morning from a panicked call from her mom downstairs. Speeding out of her room, she raced into the kitchen to find her mom waiting for her, expression grim.
"Mom? What is it?" She feared the worst, like her dad decided to work on the tractor without her there and an accident had occurred.
"The ship," Martha told her. "It's gone."
Hudson blinked. They'd had a conversation like this before, hadn't they? Only, the ship had been found and was safe in the cellar. "Mom, that's impossible. Unless I dreamed up yesterday's events, the ships in the - "
"It's gone. Your father's out there now. He told me to get you."
Heedless of the fact that she was still in her pajamas, Hudson hurried out of the house and to the storm cellar where her dad was standing at the bottom of the steps, staring at the empty space in front of him. The ground that only last night held her spaceship. Jonathan glanced over at her as she stepped down beside him, staring in befuddlement. What the hell?
"Do you think Lana followed through on her desire to alert the authorities?" He asked, regarding her with a frown.
Hudson shook her head, still staring. "No. No, she. " She refused to believe her friend would be capable of such a thing. She wouldn't betray her like that. "Lana would trust us to do the right thing." It hurt to say, but it was true.
"Then someone else knew about it, H.C."
She lifted her gaze to meet her dad's eyes. They were tired, frustrated. "Dad, I'm sorry. "
He sighed. "It isn't your fault, H.C. - "
"Everyday it seems like something else happens to endanger our family and I just don't know how to stop it anymore." She bit her lower lip and turned away, wanting very much to hit something.
"Hey." Her dad reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. "We'll face this like we do everything else. Together. While you're at school, I'll do some looking and see if there's any information out there regarding someone discovering a spaceship. That's all we can do until we can figure out who took it. All right?"
She sighed, knowing he was right. She was just going to have to confront Lana at school and see if she knew anything. And that terrified the hell out of her. Nodding to her dad, Hudson made her way back to the house to change and begin her chores.
By the time she made it to school, the last thing Hudson could really concentrate on was history and English. Normally, when her mind was this confused and worried, she would find Lex and they would talk - even if it was rarely about what was really bothering her - and he would make her feel better. They would watch movies or play pool or just make out on the couch and her worries would fade away. But that option wasn't available to her anymore. In fact, she really couldn't even allow herself to think about it on top of everything else. If she did, she might just break down and scream her lungs out.
Moving down the corridor toward her biology class, Hudson glanced ahead to see Lana at the lockers, exchanging her books. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her way through the crowd of students and walked up beside her friend, leaning against the lockers.
"Hey," she greeted with a smile, shoving her hands into her back pockets as she watched Lana hopefully. Her friend didn't acknowledge her presence. "Look, Lana, I know you're freaked out. Don't you think I freak myself out sometimes?"
Lana remained silent, stowing her books away in her locker from her bag, then replacing them with others.
Sighing, Hudson dropped her gaze for a moment, hating that the truth always had to be so difficult and painful. Of all the people she probably never should have told, it was Lana. Her arrival with the meteor shower just affected Lana's life too greatly. Frustration mounting, Hudson tried again.
"All right, look. You have every reason in the world to hate me, Lana, but I need you help. When we woke up this morning, the ship was gone."
A freshman girl at a locker beside Lana's flashed Hudson a strange look, eyebrows crooked before she slammed her locker closed and walked away.
"What? Do you think I took it?" Lana snapped, casting her a glare before shoving another book into her bag.
"No. Of course not," Hudson denied the charge quickly. "I just wondered if you mentioned anything to anyone? Or, the guy you pulled out of the truck -- he must have told someone something. I thought we could - "
Lana cut her off. "The other day, when we were moving the ship. You said it was heavy. You were lying, weren't you? And everyday you've missed the bus and still ended up at school ahead of the rest of us? You always said you got a ride, but you never got rides, did you?" Turning, she started down the hall, Hudson moving close beside her. "You know, I thought I'd finally found a friend in you, H.C. I thought you'd forgiven me for the way I used to treat you and that we were really growing close. Best friends. But everything you've ever told me was a lie!"
Hudson couldn't help but feel a little angry. She'd done everything she could to be a good friend to Lana. "Maybe I was right not telling you with the way you're reacting."
Stopping in the hall, Lana glared at Hudson angrily. "H.C, you don't get it do you? I don't care if you're from the moon. One day I might even be able to overlook that fact that you've known the reason my parents had to die and you've never told me." She shook her head, anger turning to hurt. "You never trusted me. What kind of friendship is that?"
Hudson opened her mouth to reply when Chloe appeared beside them. "Hey, you two. Why didn't you tell me about the superhero deal?"
They both looked at her, startled and shocked into silence.
Chloe grinned, as if they were suddenly very amusing. "Lana pulls a guy from a mangled van and rushes him to the hospital? That's got Torch exclusive written all over it." She turned to Lana, still smiling. "So how about an interview?"
"I don't think so," Lana replied quietly.
"Your reluctance wouldn't be part of a vast conspiracy designed to cover up the whole spaceship thing, would it?"
Hudson blinked at her words. "Wh-what are you talking about?"
"My source from the medical center gave me a call," she replied, shrugging her purse strap more securely over her shoulder. "He said that the guy that Lana brought in was rambling on about some alien spacecraft that landed in the cornfield." Her eyes were shining with barely suppressed excitement.
"You don't really believe that, do you?" Hudson wondered how much more screwed up the situation could get.
The blonde shrugged. "I don't know." She glanced at Lana. "Not unless Lana can corroborate the story."
Pursing her lips, Lana glanced sidewise at Hudson, her gaze considerate. "Sure, Chloe. I saw a spaceship. I even met an alien."
Hudson sucked in a sharp breath and stared at her friend, silently pleading with her not to do this.
"Really?" Chloe seemed amused, if not very curious. "Would you like to describe it?"
"Actually it looked a lot like H.C.," Lana remarked.
Chloe frowned, glancing at Hudson. "I thought aliens were little and green."
Lana shrugged. "I guess things aren't always what you think they are." Flashing another glare at Hudson, she turned and walked away.
Eyebrows raised, Chloe turned to glance up at Hudson curiously. "Okay, what's up with her?"
"Nothing. Just that time of the month and junk," Hudson answered hurriedly, steering Chloe away from the direction of the hall Lana disappeared down. "Ummm, you're not really looking into this UFO story are you? I mean, it sounds like Inquisitor stuff."
"Maybe." Chloe shrugged. "But if there is some truth to it, that's front- page news. For the Daily Planet." She grinned up at Hudson before hurrying away toward the Torch office.
Sighing, Hudson glanced down both directions of the hall. Hell.
***
Hudson could only imagine how horrid it would be to gather eggs if her skin wasn't invulnerable. She hated chickens - they were nasty, smelly creatures who deserved nothing less than to be fried up in oil and served alongside a helping of mashed potatoes. And she always received the smallest bit of satisfaction whenever one of the dumber hens decided to take a peck at her hand, and wound up stunned and walking around in circles for the following few minutes.
She always got stuck with the crappy chores.
Sighing, Hudson balanced the bowl of fresh eggs in one hand while she opened the door to the kitchen and stepped inside, immediately coming to a halt when she noticed Lex sitting at the island. He looked up as she entered and flashed her a hesitant smile.
"Hi."
Shifting from one foot to the other for a moment, Hudson bobbed her head in greeting as she hurried over to the counter to deposit the bowl. "Hi."
"Your mom said it would be okay if I waited for you."
Figures.
Ever since everything came to light regarding Desiree's perfidy, Martha Kent had been on some kind of crusade to convince Hudson to make up with Lex. She didn't understand it. Hudson always believed her mom hadn't been too pleased with their relationship. Apparently she'd been wrong because every time she became particularly grumpy, missing Lex and wishing she could just forget everything that happened, her mom would suggest going over to see him. Or tell her that people who really cared about one another could make it through the difficult times. Or how there was no more reason to blame Lex for what happened than her dad.
And while she agreed with everything her mom said to her, she just couldn't make them understand that it wasn't as if she was angry with Lex. It wasn't as if she hadn't forgiven him for what happened. It was just. she couldn't stop thinking about it. It was her hatred of the situation itself, of what she felt throughout that entire nightmarish week, of every unbidden image that would creep into her mind of Lex and Desiree together. That was what held her back. She wanted to be with Lex, she wanted to tell him that it was all right. But Hudson knew couldn't do that until she accepted what had happened. Until she knew in her heart that it never really meant anything to Lex. And then she could let it go.
Silence continued behind her. Hudson fidgeted, rearranging the eggs in the bowl. "Umm. what's up?" She asked without turning.
There was a slight pause and Hudson began worrying her lower lip as she waited for Lex to speak, hating the tension, and knowing there was nothing she could do to ease it at the moment.
"I just needed to get out of the mansion," he replied finally. "It's getting crowded."
Hudson felt a smile at his remark. She'd heard that Lionel was visiting and sympathized with Lex for suddenly having to share his personal space with his dad. Turning, she leaned back against the counter, meeting his gaze. "Lex, the mansion has seventy-five rooms. It can't be that hard to get away from your dad," she teased.
He acknowledged her humor with a slight smirk. "Yeah, well, he takes up a lot of space."
Kicking at the floor, Hudson glanced down at her work boots, thinking how it was easier just to not look at Lex. She loved him so much, and acknowledging the silent plea in his eyes to close this distance between them was more than she could handle right now. "So. ummm. when is he going back to Metropolis?"
"Not soon enough."
"Is he really being that difficult?" She spun back around and began separating the eggs onto the counter - smaller ones in one pile, larger eggs in another.
"Just the opposite," Lex replied, the bewilderment evident in his voice. "He's the picture of civility. Says he wants to work on our relationship."
Hudson frowned. "Is that such a bad thing?" One of the eggs threatened to roll off the counter and she silently reminded herself not to use her superspeed to catch it. Luckily, her hand got there before the egg reached the edge.
"He's lied to me so many times it's hard to believe he doesn't have an ulterior motive."
Poor Lex. She couldn't imagine not being able to trust her parents. Okay, so there was the whole Santa Claus fiasco, but she couldn't really blame them for that. All parents lied to their children about that one - it was an accepted practice in child development or something.
She glanced over her shoulder. He was still looking at her, and she turned back around quickly. "Maybe you can give him the benefit of the doubt?" She suggested.
"No. No. If a person's deceived me once, I find it hard to give them a second chance."
The egg she was holding in her hand broke into a mess of yolk, egg white and splintered shell. "Shit," she muttered, diving for the sink as the slimy substance began dripping between her fingers onto the floor. Chickens sucked.
And so did lying. It sucked to no end, and it all ready had her in trouble with Lana. And someday, she just knew, the same goddamned issue would happen with Lex, and what was she supposed to do then? He just told her that he doesn't give people who lie to him a second chance, and damn but if her lie isn't the lie to end all lies. Hello, Lex. I'm not human, got it? That's right. I'm an alien. You've had your gorgeous mouth all over an alien body. What do you think of that??
"Problem?"
Hudson started, glancing to her right to find Lex standing beside her, holding a towel out to her, the barest hint of amusement glinting in his silver eyes. "Ummm. sometimes the eggs are really fragile."
She turned on the water to wash her hand off, and then took the towel from Lex to dry it. She could still feel Lex watching her, his gaze assessing. She took her time folding the towel, setting it on the counter beside her before she brought her gaze back to his. He was standing really close, she could feel the heat of his body, smell his cologne, and the hint of musk that was entirely his own. Hudson's eyes focused on a piece of lint near the shoulder of his jacket, and she ached to reach out and pick it away. But if she touched him now she might never stop, and that just wasn't right. Not with everything that still stood between them.
"How's school going?"
Her eyes drifted back to his. "Good. Surprisingly uneventful. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop or something."
"Maybe life will calm down from here on out," Lex suggested quietly.
Hudson raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. And maybe Mary Poppins will show up on the doorstep, snap her fingers and finish all my chores for me."
Lex smiled a little in response, his gaze moving over her as he remained silent a moment longer before asking, "By the way, do you remember that piece of scrap metal I had on my desk? The octagonal one?"
Swallowing any reaction to his question about the disc, Hudson shrugged. "Uh, kinda. Why?"
"It came up today," he replied in a non-committal tone. "Made me wonder what happened to it."
It was hard not to panic at the idea of the key to her ship missing. Then again the ship was missing, too. Could they be in the same place? Maybe they went home without her. They probably both got completely fed up with Earth and humans and decided to head back out to the stars. As much as she longed to discover that information regarding who she was and where she came was locked away in the ship, something about the idea that she no longer had to deal with it made her feel an overwhelming sense of relief. Then again, it was entirely possible both the ship and the key had been found by someone.
Nah. That kind of story would have been in the papers already.
Glancing up at Lex, Hudson asked, "When did you lose it?"
"During the storm."
She bit back the sigh of relief. "It probably got carried away with all the other debris from the mansion, you know?"
Lex nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure you're right."
More silence. Hudson looked away from Lex, her gaze sweeping over the wood floor. A part of her really wanted him to leave. Another part of her wished he would stay forever. She hated being this conflicted, and this uncertain. Every part of her screamed that it was right to forgive him, to just forget everything that happened with Desiree and move forward. Except her heart. It was loudly proclaiming that to trust Lex was stupid, and would only get her hurt again.
Hudson started from her thoughts when Lex suddenly reached out and touched her cheek, drawing her eyes back to his.
"I miss you," he told her quietly.
Her lips parted at his admission. God, she hated hearing the sorrow in his voice. She didn't want to cause him pain, she didn't want revenge or anything. Then again, in the past two weeks, Lex really hadn't made any move to apologize or ask for her forgiveness again. She didn't understand what was going on between them. Had they silently come to a mutual agreement that a relationship simply wouldn't work?
No, she didn't want to think that.
"I miss you, too," she offered, trying not to move into his touch, even though his hand lingered, thumb caressing her cheek.
Lex's eyes searched hers, as if determining the truth of her words. He nodded once, as if finding what he was looking for. "Do you. we should go to dinner soon. Nothing fancy, just a night out together."
Did he have any idea how much she wanted to say yes? Instead, Hudson found herself shaking her head. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Lex."
His hand fell away from her cheek and a blank mask immediately fell over his expression. "You're right. I guess it wouldn't be." His tone was clipped. "I'd better go."
"Lex. "
Hudson turned to follow him as he moved around her toward the door, but he didn't stop. She watched in dismay as the screen door slammed shut behind him. Why must she succeed in hurting everyone she cared about?
"Dammit." She sighed in self-disgust.
Obviously she was having serious relationship issues this week.
***
"I'm going for a walk, Nell," Lana called out as she exited the house, letting the door slam shut behind her. Tugging her light sweater around her shoulders, she moved down the steps and across the yard toward the path that led through the woods.
Glancing up, she slowly came to a stop, staring at the sky through the canopy of trees above her. Knowing for a certainty that there was life out there, that there were such things as aliens, was kind of disappointing. It was almost like the end of innocence or something. Maybe there were just some mysteries that were never meant to be solved. Lana couldn't help but feel anger towards Hudson for ruining that for her. The knowledge, on top of the lies and distrust, was almost too much to fathom. She didn't want to be angry at her friend - she wanted to help and understand - but she just couldn't find that kind of acceptance or forgiveness in her heart yet.
She wanted to. If for no other reason than Hudson was really and truly alone in this world. There was no one else like her, and no one could know who and what she was, and how did she go through life, day to day, like that? At least she now realized why her friend never opened up, why it seemed like she was always hiding, always buried beneath layers and layers of complexity that Lana never understood.
Of course, knowing all of this didn't make any of it easier. Not when Hudson had known, all this time, the reason why Lana's parents had to die, and never said anything to her. It wasn't that she blamed her for their deaths, it was just. she wished Hudson could have trusted her sooner, been honest with her. Lana felt like a fool, and maybe that upset her more than anything. She trusted Hudson, trusted her not to make her feel so stupid and useless. And that was how she felt now. She continued to try to see Hudson's side of it, to empathize with what it must feel like to be an alien, alone among humans but. she just couldn't.
This was the stuff of sci-fi movies, right? And as reference material, there wasn't much there. Typically, all alien-encounters either dealt with humans freaking out, aliens attacking or they were like Star Trek, where the initial encounter occurred long ago and everyone was used to aliens in their midst. It wasn't like Lana could walk up to aunt Nell and say 'So how do you deal with the aliens you know?' because no one other than her and Hudson's parents knew about the alien on earth! God, she almost would have preferred to have never known. It would be easier.
Glancing up, Lana realized that during her walk, she'd subconsciously made her way to the Kent farm. Now she stood there, at the edge of the woods, staring at the darkened farmhouse, wondering where everyone was. She wanted to talk to Hudson's parents, ask what made them decide to take Hudson in and raise her as their own. Why did they choose to keep her identity a secret? Were they satisfied with living this life of lies? Didn't they feel like they were betraying the people they called friends? Did it ever get any easier - knowing what they knew?
Apparently, her questions were going to have to go unanswered for the moment. Turning, she was about to make her way back to the path that would lead her home when she noticed a light coming from the storm cellar at the edge of the east pasture.
Hoping Hudson's parents were there and not Hudson herself - she just wasn't certain that she was ready to discuss all of this with her friend yet - Lana hurried past the barn and work shed, hesitating when she reached the cellar. Peering down the stairs, she waited until she heard movement, signaling that there was indeed someone inside, before she stepped onto the top stair and carefully made her way inside.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent?" She called out, stopping on the second to last step to look up, eyes widening at the older black man who stood near the empty shelves, the contents strewn about the floor around his feet. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? You're trespassing on the Kents' property!"
He lifted a flashlight, shining it into her eyes. "There's a piece missing from the spacecraft," he told her, gaze narrowing in recognition as he stared at her.
"You're the one who stole the spaceship?" Lana asked, lifting a hand to shield her eyes.
"It's octagonal in shape," he continued, ignoring her question. He held up his hand. "The size of my palm. Tell me where it is! I saw you and your friend bring the ship here! You must have the octagon!"
Lana moved backwards, onto the next step, frowning at the strange man who was slowly approaching her. He looked familiar to her. Where had she seen him before? Something to do with the Torch and Chloe. The meteors. That was it! Now she remembered. He was that scientist who used to sell meteor fragments to tourists.
"Aren't you that Dr. Hamilton?" She asked.
Apparently not pleased that she recognized him, Hamilton growled and lunged toward her, causing Lana to take a misstep and fall backwards against the stairs with a cry. She scrambled to push her way back up but he was already leaning over her, shining the flashlight into her eyes.
"Stop it!" She cried out, attempting to glare at him, to make him think she wasn't afraid. Any moment now, Hudson would be there to save her, and then he would be in trouble. "You don't know who you're dealing with! That spaceship belongs to someone a lot smarter and braver than you!"
Too late, she realized her mistake.
Hamilton smiled, reaching out to fondly stroke her cheek with his shaking fingers. "You know who it belongs to. "
Lana immediately shook her head. "Er. no. I don't know anything," she denied quickly, struggling to push away from him, but his hand moved down her face to her neck, where his fingers tightened.
"Tell me. Tell me who it is!" He demanded, spittle flying as he shouted into her face.
Panicking, Lana kicked him in the shin, pushing off of his shoulders and twisting to try to make her way up the steps. Behind her, Hamilton hurried after her, grabbing hold of her ankle and yanking her back down to him. She screamed, kicking and struggling beneath his hold but he was stronger and he flipped her back over, shoving his knee into her stomach to hold her down.
Hand shaking, he covered her mouth to stifle her screams as he leaned back into her face. "The spaceship, I need to know! Are you going to tell me who this belongs to?"
She shook her head, eyes wide as his gaze narrowed.
"Very well. I'll just have to find a more constructive way to get you to. open up to me."
Lana went to scream again when Hamilton pulled his hand back but too quickly he grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and slammed her head back into the edge of the stair.
Darkness immediately consumed her.
***
Could nothing go right this week?
Hudson's parents were beyond angry with her. When her dad asked her earlier if she could talk to Lana again, see if she might have mentioned the spaceship to anyone, Hudson told them that they weren't talking at the moment. Then she proceeded to admit to why, explaining that she confessed everything to Lana regarding her origins.
No, they hadn't been pleased at all. The conversation ground to a quick halt when Nell called, looking for Lana. Apparently, she'd been missing all night. She'd gone for a walk and Nell went to bed, thinking Lana simply got home late. But she woke up that morning to find that Lana's bed hadn't been slept in. She'd checked the Talon, even called Whitney, but Lana was nowhere to be found. She headed toward the high school last, knowing that if anyone might have a clue to her friend's whereabouts, it would be Chloe.
Glancing ahead to where she saw the Torch's editor walking along the path toward the school entrance, attention focused intently on a piece of paper in her hands, Hudson sped up to move alongside her.
"Hey, Chloe, have you seen Lana?"
Chloe looked up at the question and shook her head. "No, but the weird- meter just kicked up another notch." She handed the paper she was reading to Hudson.
Frowning, Hudson read the first few words on the sheet. "A hospital visitor log?"
Nodding, Chloe explained, "Yeah. I was looking into Ray Wallace's death. It turns out he had a visitor drop by just before he flat lined. A certain Dr. Steven Hamilton." She raised her eyebrows as she said the name.
Hudson blinked. "The meteor freak?"
"Yep."
Hudson hadn't heard that name since the Nicodemus flower - a few days in her life that she would rather just forget about. "I thought he left Smallville?"
"So did I." Chloe shook her head before laying out the scenario, "So Lana plays good Samaritan and Dr. Hamilton visits the patient... "
". The patient dies and Lana disappears," Hudson concluded for her.
"It's not exactly a smoking gun, but... "
Hudson cut her off. "It's good enough." She handed the paper back to Chloe. "I'm gonna go check on Hamilton."
"Okay," Chloe responded with a nod. "You know, he used to have a place down on Allentown Road. Maybe he's back there... "
Not waiting for Chloe to continue, Hudson ducked through the bushes and broke into her superspeed out toward Allentown Road.
She couldn't help but think it wasn't coincidental that first Hamilton was using the meteor rocks to regenerate an extinct flower, and now he knew about the spaceship. Something or someone had to have brought him back to Smallville. Obviously, Dr. Hamilton and Lex knew one another, and Lex had something to do with the Nicodemus flower, which was likely why he risked his own life to help find a cure for those infected. But Hudson refused to believe that he continued any association with the scientist, nor did she think he knew anything about the spaceship. Yes, he'd spoken with that one farmer who claimed he saw a ship come down the day of the meteor shower, but since that one discussion, Lex never mentioned anything else to her. Hudson figured he dropped it, realizing how ridiculous the entire story sounded.
Then again, Lex rarely dropped anything.
Slowing as she reached the house on Allentown road, Hudson stopped at the driveway and glanced around until she spied the garage. Focusing her gaze, she peered through the walls to see two figures - one seemed to be bound to a pillar, the other was leaning toward it with a syringe in hand. Eyes widening in panic, Hudson raced forward, crashing through the door just as Hamilton neared Lana's neck with a needle dripping green liquid.
"Lana!" Hudson called out as Hamilton turned to look at her. She glared at him. "Put the needle down!"
Hamilton shook his head. "No, not until she tells me what she knows."
Hudson frowned momentarily, torn between pleasure that Lana apparently had not told him anything and concern that her friend was willing to go through pain and torture in order to keep her secret. She hadn't wanted it to come to this. Not ever. Fixing her eyes on the syringe, Hudson allowed her anger to come to the forefront until the object flamed red and burst into pieces. She started toward Lana but Hamilton jumped to his feet to stop her, succeeding in doing little more than getting in her way and angering her further. Arm snaking out to catch him against the chest, Hudson pushed the scientist across the room where he slammed against a pile of steel barrels. She looked down to see Lana watching her, a mixture of shock and happiness present in her gaze. Forcing a slight smile, Hudson ripped the ropes off of Lana pausing suddenly when an all-too familiar pain shot through her hands, moving in waves up her arms and through her body. Glancing down, she noticed the green drops that soaked into the ropes and realized traces of it were now on her skin. Stumbling, she grasped at her hands, desperate to clean them somehow, but succeeded in doing little more than falling forward into a nearby table and collapsing onto the floor.
"H.C., what's wrong?" Lana cried out, eyes widening in shock as she stared at her.
Hudson struggled to get back to her feet but the pain was ripping through her, causing nausea, dizziness and unspeakable torment that engulfed her senses. "I - I'm allergic to the meteor rocks," she gasped.
Hearing movement behind her, Hudson strained to turn her head just a bit in time to see Dr. Hamilton heading toward her, a beaker of the green fluid in his hand. He stumbled to a stop, standing over her, tipping the beaker threateningly above her, the liquid meteor rock hovering near the rim.
"This ship is yours, isn't it?" He asked, wiping nervously at the sweat on his brow. "Open it. Open it! Open it!"
"H.C!" Lana called to her, struggling to remove the ropes from her ankles.
Pulling free, she jumped to her feet and grabbed a metal pitcher from one of the tables. Using both hands, she slammed it across the side of Hamilton's head, knocking him away from Hudson and into the table beside him. It shook under his weight, the bottles and equipment scattered across the top teetering precariously. One bottle, filled with the liquid meteorite, fell to its side, dripping slowly onto Dr. Hamilton's forehead, each drop immediately absorbing into his skin. Lana stared at the damage for a moment before breaking from her stance and hurrying over to Hudson, leaning over to grab her shoulders and help her to her feet.
"H.C., come on!" She encouraged, shouldering much of Hudson's weight.
Across the room, Hamilton began shaking with blurring speed, drawing both of the girls' attention.
"Lana. " Hudson planted her feet, refusing to move. "Lana, we have to get him to a hospital. "
Her friend was already shaking her head in denial. "No. We have to get you out of here!"
But she couldn't allow that. Whatever this man may have done, was doing, meant to do, Hudson wouldn't be responsible for just letting him die. She didn't think he was a bad man, she couldn't judge him because he was curious about her and where she came from and what she was. Hudson knew that there were plenty of people who would likely react in the same manner - she doubted he really meant to hurt her, he just wanted to know. His other actions. well, they were the wrong decisions surely, but that didn't mean Dr. Hamilton should die for his crimes. No one should.
"Lana, I have to help him!" Hudson argued.
Unfortunately, the moment she tried to move from her friend's side to get to the scientist, she immediately felt the violent reaction from her body to the meteorite in his system. She stumbled, almost falling once more before Lana caught her. Their gazes met and Hudson tried to silently communicate how important this was to her. They had to try to save him.
Finally nodding, Lana pulled away from Hudson and attempted to approach Dr. Hamilton but the shaking of his body only became more violent. If she made any attempt to touch him, she could have been seriously injured. Glancing over at Hudson, she waited for some instruction but none was forthcoming. Turning her gaze back to the scientist, she stared in confusion as the shaking came to an abrupt halt, his body slumping to the ground, unmoving.
Lifting her eyes back to Hudson, Lana shook her head. "It's too late. I think he's dead." She walked back over to her friend, slipping her arm around her waist and tugging her away from all of the green liquid. "Come on. We better get the ship out of here. Then we can try to take him to the hospital or something."
Hudson swallowed, knowing there was nothing more to be done. Lana was right - they needed to clean up what evidence regarding her origins was laying about before they took Dr. Hamilton to the hospital. To do otherwise, no matter how much her conscience warred with her, would be much too dangerous.
***
Keeping track of a blind man wasn't as easy as one would think it to be, especially when that blind man happened to be Lionel Luthor. Even though Lex constantly assured himself that his father's disability granted him a minor level of security, he still couldn't help but feel a slight amount of panic whenever Lionel came up missing. He always checked the study first, expecting to walk in and find his father going through the files on his computer or the paperwork in the cabinet. It was ridiculous, he knew, but having his father in the same house for the past few days had done little more than raise Lex's paranoia about ten notches.
Of course, it never helped when Lex discovered that his concern about his father being up to no good stood grounded in fact. When Dr. Hamilton stopped by the mansion earlier that week so that Lex could dismiss him from his work, Lex believed it to be the last he would see or hear from the man. After all, he'd served his purpose and was clearly more of a liability to keep around with his emerging illness than an asset. The man's sudden violence, along with his near-manic determination to locate the octagonal disc, was certainly enough to set Lex on edge.
But standing there in the doorway, watching as his father worked over some of Hamilton's notes, a computerized voice droning on with the information contained in the papers as he moved the device over them, Lex realized Hamilton wasn't going anywhere.
"Hamilton reports finding large concentrations of meteor fragments spread over a large area south of County Highway 17. These fragment vary in circumference from 24 microns to 562 millimetres."
"Interesting reading, Dad?" Lex drawled, pushing off from the doorway to step into the room.
"Lex." Lionel glanced up in surprise. "I didn't hear you come in."
"I'm surprised." He was also slightly amused. Being able to surprise his father and catch him off guard was something Lex always strove for. "Dr. Roland says he's noticed a marked improvement in your other senses since you lost your sight."
Lionel glanced to the side sharply at Lex's comment. "You spoke to Roland?"
Nodding, Lex approached his father, frowning down at him as he replied, "You can imagine my surprise when he told me how worried he was that you'd gone AWOL. You've missed your last several physical therapy sessions. In fact, he says the worst thing for you right now is to be away from your care providers."
"Do you have any idea how degrading it is to be constantly poked and prodded by occupational therapists? How demeaning it is to be told by a Braille instructor, "One day, one day, all this will feel natural"?" Lionel demanded angrily. "You want the truth, Lex? I was tired of being treated like an object, an invalid. I had to get away from that."
Lex wasn't going to fall for the guilt trip again. "So you decided a couple days of Oedipal mano a mano would make you feel better?"
Frowning, Lionel told his son, "Your analogy is apt but flawed, Lex. Blind Oedipus was the son, not the father." Grasping his cane, he moved to stand. "I'll go back to Metropolis."
As much as Lex fought it, the guilt still took over. It was possible that he was paranoid, that he'd spent so much of his life on the defensive with his father, that he really didn't know any other way to be. What if Lionel was really attempting to make peace between them? To make up for so much lost time that they could have spent as a real father and son?
Okay, so Lex wasn't quite that naïve. His father was always up to something, disability or not. The question was, what?
Glancing down at the papers scattered across the table, Lex's gaze narrowed a little as he wondered what caused his father's interest in Hamilton. Had Hamilton approached him after Lex sent the man away? Lifting his eyes back to his father, Lex asked, "So, uh, your sudden interest in Dr. Hamilton was really just a coincidence?"
Lionel turned toward his son. "I admit I find his work intriguing."
"He's sick, possibly delusional," Lex pointed out.
"Never underestimate the value of eccentrics and lunatics, Lex. Every Arthur needs his Merlin," Lionel informed him with amusement. After a slight pause, he added, "Hamilton said that he found some sort of. disk and that you had it."
"He's mistaken."
What was it about the disc that made Hamilton want it so badly? Yes, Lex was upset when he lost it but mostly because it was a mystery to him - one that would never be solved once it disappeared. But with the way that Hamilton was behaving in his need to find it caused Lex to wonder if the disc's purpose hadn't finally been solved.
"Oh?" Lionel shrugged. "Even so, I think it may have been a bit rash to terminate his contract."
Frowning, Lex eyed his father for a long moment before asking, "Why do you say that?"
Lionel smirked. "Have you taken a look in the good doctor's barn lately?"
Gaze narrowing, Lex dropped his gaze to the floor, wondering what he was driving at. "No. I haven't had the. pleasure."
Moving forward, cane stretched out before him, Lionel drew closer to his son. "I was there, Lex. I couldn't see but. I touched it. And I could tell - it was different. Not of this earth."
"What was?"
"The ship."
Lex was suddenly thankful for his father's blindness because he was certain he'd been unable to keep the surprise from his expression.
A ship. The ship he'd been searching for. The one Eddie Cole had seen come down the day of the meteor shower. The same one that might have something to do with the octagonal disc found in the field.
Carefully schooling his voice to the tone of boredom and disbelief, Lex asked, "How can you be so sure? I already said the man is delusional."
"How can you be so sure?" Lionel countered.
Lex's frown deepened.
"Why don't we go for a ride, Lex?" His father suggested.
"The helicopter will be here soon to take you back to Metropolis," he pointed out, glancing at his watch. A half hour to go. Then Lex would be left once more in solitude, peace, no longer carefully censoring everything he said and did.
Lionel waved a hand dismissively. "It can wait. Take me to Hamilton's, Lex. I'll show you - you can see for yourself."
Sighing, Lex took his father's outstretched arm and led him through the room toward the door to the garage. He knew Lionel wouldn't let this go. And there would be nothing that Lex could think to say to dissuade him. That angered him to no end - to think that his father was now sniffing around a mystery that belonged solely to Lex. After all, if he'd gone to his father and told him he believed a spaceship might have landed the day of the meteor shower, and that he once had a disc that was formed of materials not found on earth, Lionel would have deemed him insane. He would have laughed, told Lex how naïve and foolish he was, that he would fall for anything. But when someone else comes to Lionel with the same information. well, suddenly he'll take a stranger's word on faith. It didn't matter if Hamilton was telling the truth - that he actually found the spaceship. What mattered was that all of it - every bit of information, every twinge of interest, every answer - belonged to Lex. Not Lionel.
The drive to the south end of town, where Dr. Hamilton's property was located, was silent. Lex was thankful for that. His father sat beside him in the Jaguar, lost deeply in thought, leaving Lex to his own thoughts and concerns. If there really was a ship sitting in Hamilton's shed, complications would arise. Lionel would want a hand in it - he would want to take over the research and Lex would be left with nothing. Then again, if there really wasn't a spaceship, likely Lex would be blamed for getting involved with Hamilton at all, and his father wouldn't waste a moment in telling him what a worthless son he truly was.
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Lex flashed his father a quick glare as he pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. He wished he'd just forced the old man onto the helicopter and sent him on his way. Then he could have investigated on his own. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to work out that way and he told himself to calm down, to bury his emotions as he climbed out of the car.
Helping his father forward toward the shed, Lex glanced around the property intently. The place looked deserted - recently deserted. Looking down at the dirt beneath their feet as they reached the shed, he noticed different sets of shoe prints scattered in several directions. Brow furrowed, Lex raised his gaze to the door that hung off of its hinges, a section near the knob splintered into pieces. Slowly, he led his father inside the building, expression growing more perplexed as he gazed around at the destruction within. Overturned tables, shattered bottles, a chair with ropes laying beside it.
No ship, though.
"Does it look anything like Hamilton's description -- what he says it was?" Lionel asked, unseeing gaze moving about the room, as if the blindness might suddenly disappear.
Lex shook his head. "There's nothing here, Dad." He didn't feel it was necessary to tell his father that it appeared as if something might have been there, and simply wasn't any longer.
"Well. he must have moved it," Lionel commented stubbornly. "Or someone took it."
Lex was more than willing to believe the latter. "Come on." He tugged on his father's arm, attempting to move him toward the door. "The helicopter's waiting."
"No, no," his father argued, pulling back. "I'm not going back to Metropolis. Not just yet."
Damn. Lex glanced back around the shed. "What about your treatment?" He asked, knowing that the physical therapy meant nothing in contrast to a mystery. There were some traits all Luthor's shared.
Lionel smirked with his reply, "I'm afraid those charming physical therapists will just have to come to me."
"I hope you're not staying because of a sudden interest in alien spacecrafts." No matter how his father answered, Lex knew it was an idle hope.
"Of course not. I'm staying because I want to spend more quality time with my only son."
Lex started when his father reached out, searching for his face, touching it. As much as he wanted to pull away - had schooled himself in doing so for years - Lex found his eyes closing at the feel of his father's fingers on his skin. It had been so long since he'd received anything that even remotely hinted at caring from his father, and he couldn't help but take just a moment to lose himself in it. This act between them wouldn't last long - as much as Lex wanted to believe in his father's motives, he just couldn't expose himself that much to do so. It was dangerous. For years he'd worked to earn Lionel's love, his approval, his pride, but time and again he'd failed, and suffered painful humiliation in the process. That wasn't going to happen again. The only reason his father was staying, the only reason he was pretending to care for Lex, was because he was interested in Hamilton's research.
Research that Lex funded.
Grabbing his father's hand, he pulled it away from his face and took Lionel's arm once more, leading him toward the door. "Good. Because this could all be a hoax."
If he wanted to keep the information gleaned from Dr. Hamilton to himself, he was going to have to somehow convince his father that it was all make- believe.
"Hoax or not, I'm not the only one who's suddenly interested in it." Lionel smirked.
Beside him, Lex blanched and cast a quick look at his father.
Dammit.
***
"So, does it do anything?"
Lana glanced over at the three Kents with her question before returning her gaze to the ship that was now safely ensconced back in the storm cellar. It was still unbelievable to her - even with everything she'd witnessed for herself, from her rescue from Dr. Hamilton to Hudson carrying the ship out of the shed as they waited for Jonathan to pick them up.
Martha smiled and shook her head as she replied, "We've always hoped we'd find some answers inside about Hudson and where she's from, but we haven't been able to get it open."
Nodding, Lana stared at the ship a moment longer before returning her gaze to Hudson. So amazing - to think that she came in that tiny ship. Travelled who knew how far all by herself, only to land safely here in Smallville. And no one but those gathered in the storm cellar knew.
Lana reached out and touched her friend's arm. "H.C., look... I know I reacted badly when all this started. But after what happened to Hamilton. " She trailed off, squeezing the arm beneath her hand gently. "I realize why you never told me and I'm sorry."
"You had good reason to be upset, Lana," Hudson replied with a slight shrug. "You were one of those whose life was most affected by my arrival."
She still felt as if she was coming to terms with how deeply the meteor shower changed her life from what it should have been. While Lana knew she didn't blame Hudson, she found herself wondering what life would have been like if her friend hadn't arrived here. Was that selfish and cruel of her?
"There's still one thing I'm curious about," she commented, frowning as she considered the day's events. "Dr. Hamilton tried to kill me, and he could've told the whole world about you, but. you still tried to save him. Why?"
Smiling a little, Hudson told her, "Well, Lana, I couldn't let you die to protect my secret, and I can't let anyone else die either." She worried her lower lip a moment before adding, "No matter who they are."
Lana smiled in understanding. "It's not easy being you. Is it?"
Dropping her gaze to the ground, Hudson toed the dirt with her boot. "Some days are easier than others, I guess."
"Lana... I'm proud of you," Jonathan commented, stepping between the two girls to focus his attention on her. "But I do hope you realize what a tremendous responsibility knowing this secret is." He gazed at her intently for a long moment. "And believe me, it's not going to get any easier."
"That's my dad's way of saying welcome to the family," Hudson told her.
Martha laughed while Lana smiled at the family. She watched as Jonathan took Martha's hand and led her out of the cellar, discussing dinner. Turning back to her friend, she waited until Hudson looked away from the ship before catching her gaze. She hesitated only a moment, thinking carefully over the words that she wanted to say to make Hudson understand how much knowing the truth meant to her, how much their friendship meant to her.
"It's all a little unreal, you know?" She commented softly, staring up at her friend. "I mean, I've always known there was something about you, something that made you stand out from everyone else and yet, you always tried so hard to hide it. I never understood that, and maybe, for a long time, I resented it - "
"Lana - "
"No, H.C. Let me finish." She waited until Hudson nodded before she continued, "The day of the meteor shower. It was a tragic day for many of us. But it was a glorious day for your parents. Not only did they finally have the child they always wanted - they got you. We all did." She waved her hand, as if encompassing the town outside of the cellar walls. "And that makes knowing what happened to my parents, to others. just a little easier to accept." Reaching out, Lana took Hudson's hand in hers. "Everything about you, Hudson Kent, is amazing. And I. I feel as if I'm special, too, just because I know you. Just because I can call you my friend."
Hudson lowered her gaze once more, a bright blush coloring her cheeks. "Thank you, Lana. I. That means a lot to me."
"It means a lot to me that you trust me with your secret." She let go of her friend's hand, turning to follow her as they made their way up the steps and out of the cellar. Brow furrowing, Lana couldn't help but ask, "Have you. ever wanted to tell Lex?"
Hesitating in her steps a little, Hudson waited until Lana was walking beside her before nodding. "Every day since the day we met," she answered, wrapping her arms around her waist. "I wake up every morning and think 'Today's the day I'm going to tell him'. And then. "
"And then?"
"I don't know." Hudson stopped, glancing down the driveway. "I get scared, I hesitate, I find myself thinking up every reason not to tell him."
"Don't you trust him?"
Hudson looked at Lana quickly. "Yes. Yes, I do. I trust him to keep my secret and I trust him to protect me. And that's the problem. You've seen for yourself how dangerous it can be. Lana, you have no idea how many people who've known the truth have already died or been hurt. I know Lex. I know how tenacious he can be." She paused, her gaze sad. "And I know how dangerous some of the people are that he associates with. Telling Lex couldn't just possibly endanger my life, it would endanger his and my parents and. " She trailed off and shook her head. "I want to tell him. I wish I could tell him. But I just. I can't."
"It's all right."
Lana moved forward to hug her friend. It was hard enough to be truthful with someone you love about simple things like not agreeing with them or not liking their friends. Hudson's secrets were so much deeper than that and Lex. well, he wasn't your average guy. Lana didn't know him all that well, but she knew enough to know that he wouldn't just exclaim how cool her being an alien was and then grab a beer out of the fridge and sit down to watch the game. He'd want to be in the midst of Hudson's secret, he'd want it all, and he was simply too public a person for someone outside the situation not to learn the truth.
"Maybe someday it'll be easier," Lana suggested, pulling back to smile up at Hudson. "Maybe someday you can tell him."
Hudson nodded, and returned the smile with a tentative one of her own. "Yeah. Maybe. Someday."
***
Hudson stood outside the entrance to the castle kitchen, worrying her lower lip as she stared at it. It had been almost a month since her last delivery and she was beyond nervous about opening the door. She still hadn't admitted to her parents about Dodd seeing the bullet hit her, and she hadn't spoken to him since that night. So far, no government agents had shown up on her doorstep with scalpels in hand, but that didn't mean it would never happen. Hudson trusted Dodd but she was quickly learning that it was impossible to determine how people were going to react to the truth about her. The recent events with Lana, more than anything, taught her to be cautious.
Taking a deep breath, Hudson reached out and turned the knob, pushing the door open and stepping inside. "Hello?" She peered around the counter to see Dodd at the sink, peeling potatoes.
He looked up at her, his gaze frank and assessing for a long moment, before greeting her with a slight inclination of his head. "Miss Kent. I thought your mother was making the deliveries."
"Oh, that was just. temporary." Hudson shrugged as she set the box down onto the countertop. "I'm back to doing it now."
Dodd nodded. He wiped his hands on a dish towel then moved over to begin digging through the box, inspecting each piece of fruit and produce that sat inside. Silence stretched on through the room as Hudson waited for the cook to speak. She tapped her fingers against the countertop, watching Dodd as he worked his way through the produce, and she searched for any sign that he was behaving differently than usual.
Finally frustrated with her mounting tension, she commented, "So, Lionel Luthor is here visiting."
"Hmmm."
"Lex came by the other day, seeking refuge or something." Hudson smiled.
Dodd glanced at her but didn't comment. His gaze was steady, intent.
She shifted beneath his eyes, looking away for a moment as she contemplated a way to approach the topic of Desiree. "Look, Dodd, about Desiree - "
"Men are weak when it comes to beautiful women," he interrupted, still watching her. "All women have power over us - they don't need meteors." His gaze swept over her with that statement, from head to foot.
Hudson frowned. What did he mean by that? "I'm not blaming anyone for anything that happened. Well, anyone beyond Desiree." She pushed her hair back off her forehead, scratching her scalp for a moment. "What I meant was. well, that night. after the fire in the Talon - "
"When you look at me, Miss Kent, what do you see?"
She was taken aback by his question. Frown growing, she worried her lower lip before commenting, "I don't understand."
"Is that your answer? Or a question?"
"Both, I guess." She kicked at the floor, scuffing the tile with the edge of her boot.
"Then it is my answer as well." Dodd turned back to the produce and he began storing it away in the refrigerator.
Hudson remained silent, mulling over his words. Even Lex wasn't that cryptic. She pressed her fingers into the pockets of her jeans and leaned back against the counter. Something about this wasn't right. "But, don't you want to know?"
He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Do you?"
"Yes."
"And yet, you never ask."
"Well, I. " She trailed off, wondering about her reluctance to ask what Dodd really did for Lex and where he came from. Maybe she preferred the mystery and her own imagination to whatever the truth could be. "I just don't want to."
A ghost of a smile appeared on Dodd's face as he turned to face her. "You'll have to do better than that, Miss Kent."
She didn't like this conversation. It made her uncomfortable. A little angrily she snapped, "Well, as my friend, you should tell me. I shouldn't have to ask."
"Plausible deniability." He folded his arms over his chest and stared at her.
"That's a feeble excuse."
"Is it?" Dodd moved closer to her, his voice dropping an octave. "We all have secrets, Miss Kent. For some of us, those secrets are more closely guarded than others. They have to be. Not only for our own safety but the safety of those around us. Lex doesn't know everything about me and I like to keep it that way - it keeps him safe. It's my job to keep him safe." He watched her intently a moment before asking, "Why do you lie to him?"
"I don't - " She cut herself off, reddened, and looked away.
Dodd watched her a few moments longer before nodding and turning back to his work. "Just remember, Hudson Kent, that the longer you guard your secrets, the closer you keep them to yourself, the lonelier your life becomes."
She raised her head. "Is your life lonely?"
"Who's lonely?"
Hudson started at Lex's voice, spinning around to cast him a guilty expression as he stood in the doorway, glancing between her and Dodd. "Ummmm. "
Lex 's brow furrowed briefly before moving forward. "Hudson, I thought your mother was making the deliveries now."
"That just. " Because I was too afraid to face you. "No. I mean, I'm doing it again." She glanced over at Dodd who was pretending to ignore them both.
Stopping beside her, Lex flashed Hudson a quick, tiny smile, his stance suggesting that he was just as uncomfortable at the moment as she was. They looked at one another, traded small smiles and both looked away again. This went on for the next few minutes until Dodd finally questioned:
"You have more deliveries to make, Miss Kent?"
"Huh?" Hudson blinked at the reminder, wondering if Dodd was just trying to get rid of her. She nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do. I'd better get out of here before Mrs. Winfrey wonders if I ran off with her peaches. "
"I'll walk you out," Lex offered, moving toward the back door and holding it open for her.
"Oh. Okay." Flashing him a smile as she passed by, Hudson stepped out into the sunlight, squinting briefly at the sky before shading her eyes and looking back at Lex as he closed the door and moved up beside her. "So, ummm, how're things going with your dad?"
Lex shrugged, hands slipping into his pockets as he walked. "He's decided to stay for an interminable amount of time. On the one hand, I'm this close to tossing him out the door. And on the other. "
"You feel responsible for him."
"Yes." He glanced over at her quickly. "I still can't help but think that if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be blind."
"Lex." Hudson laid her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. "It's not your fault. None of it. You can't keep blaming yourself."
They stopped beside her family's pickup. Lex brought his eyes to hers. "Unfortunately, my greatest talent seems to lie in making the lives of those around me miserable."
Hudson swallowed at his words and shook her head. "No, Lex, that isn't. "
She sighed and looked away toward the castle. She realized she was still holding on to his arm and didn't bother to let go. Bringing her gaze back to his, she tugged on his wrist, pulling his hand from his pocket and threading her fingers through his.
"Lex, I'm sure that isn't true for your dad. And. and I know it isn't true for me."
Pursing his lips, Lex looked down at their hands, watching as Hudson's thumb moved over his skin in small circles. He shrugged his shoulders lightly. "I wish I could believe that."
Leaning in to him, Hudson kissed his cheek gently. She tried not to allow her thoughts to linger on how good he smelled or how soft his skin was or how easy it would be to just move a few inches and kiss his mouth instead. "Believe it," she told him before pulling back.
She started toward the truck but Lex still held her hand, his grip tightening. At the slight squeeze, she glanced back at him, her other hand on the door. "Hudson, I. " Lex frowned, as if searching for words to say. "What would happen if I called tonight? Or sometime?"
Hudson smiled. "Well, I guess I'd have to take the call, huh?"
Slowly, Lex returned her smile. "Yeah. I guess you would."
Hudson couldn't help but think it was ridiculous really, how they just stood there, holding hands, smiling at one another, not saying another damn thing. She'd been terrified this week, when she thought she was going to lose Lana's friendship because of what she was, because of the truth. And that only served to remind her how much she missed Lex, how much it hurt to push him away, and how scared she was that someday she might lose him completely. Dodd was right - the longer you kept your secrets, the closer you held them to you, the more difficult it became to admit to them, the more alone you became. Now that Lana knew the truth, Hudson had someone else she could confide in. But when would that no longer be enough?
"I need to go." She slipped her hand from his and pulled the door open, climbing into the cab.
Lex moved up beside the truck, closing the door behind her as she rolled down the window. He leaned in, looked up at her. "Hudson, I. " He trailed off.
"I know." Reaching out, Hudson touched his cheek and smiled. She knew he was sorry. And she knew that he loved her. And she knew he wouldn't say either. "I'll talk to you later."
Nodding, Lex took a step back from the truck as Hudson started the engine and pulled out of the drive. Glancing into the rearview mirror, she noticed that Lex stood there watching her as she drove away. And for the briefest moment, she was certain that everything was going to work out in the end.
SECRETS
Reveal not every secret you have to a friend, for how can you tell but that friend may hereafter become an enemy. And bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend. Saadi (1184 - 1291)
Lana walked out of the front door of the Kent home, Hudson following behind. They stopped at the edge of the porch, where Lana gazed up at the night sky. The past two weeks had been another growing period for their friendship. With things the way they were between Hudson and Lex ever since the Desiree Atkins fiasco, there was suddenly much more time for the two friends to spend together. Plus, Lana knew that Hudson secretly needed someone to lean on, someone to be there to listen even when she didn't feel like talking.
Turning to look at her friend standing beside her, Lana frowned. She wasn't a fool; she knew how much Hudson missed Lex. Ever since their separation, she just hadn't been the same person. She didn't smile as much, didn't laugh, was never in the mood to do anything other than go home after school and finish her chores. Lana wished there was something she could do to make things right again. As much as she felt Hudson would be better off if she just forgave Lex for what happened and moved on with her life, Lana understood why she couldn't. She was protecting herself - it was a natural reaction to being hurt like that. Still, it was painfully obvious how much happier her friend would be with Lex back at her side.
"Thanks for letting me come over to study tonight," Lana commented, giving Hudson a smile. "It's always so. peaceful at your place. And it always smells like cinnamon and baked apples. Plus, I got to eat your mom's famous pot roast."
Hudson shrugged, hanging the toe of her boot over the edge of the step as she stared down at it. "You know that you're always welcome."
Lana nodded, and then reached out and tucked a strand of Hudson's hair behind her ear. "I wish you would make up with Lex. You'd be so much happier."
"Would I?" Hudson looked over at her, expression doubtful. "Or would I constantly be waiting for him to hurt me again?"
"But it wasn't his fault. "
She sighed and sat down on the top porch step. "I know that, Lana. And I know that if he could have stopped it from happening, he would have. Lex didn't mean to hurt me." Hudson shook her head. "But he did. And that. scares the hell out of me. I mean, he was such a huge part of my life and when Desiree appeared. " She paused, worrying her lower lip. "It felt like I was dying."
Sitting on the step beside her, Lana considered her friend's words quietly before suggesting, "So maybe you remain a little more cautious this time around. Don't get so close so quickly. Take your time - "
"It couldn't work like that," Hudson cut in, grimacing. "If Lex and I do get back together, our relationship is going to have to advance to a higher level. We couldn't take a step back. Neither of us are built like that. It would be all or nothing this time around and I just don't know if I'm ready for that anymore. "
"I guess you can't expect to be safe if you want to be in love."
Hudson smiled a little. "Especially if you want to be in love with Lex Luthor."
Lana returned her smile. "I'd better go. Nell will begin to think I ran away." On impulse, she leaned over and kissed Hudson's cheek. "Good night."
Jumping to her feet, she hugged her books close to her chest as she hurried over to her aunt's truck and opened the door, tossing her homework across the seat and climbing in. Having no idea why she just decided to kiss Hudson like that, Lana tried not to dwell on it as she started the engine and pulled away from the Kent farm. After all, it was done. She couldn't take it back or anything. And anyway, it was just a friendly kiss, to let Hudson know she was there and stuff.
Hudson smelled really nice. She wondered if Lex thought so as well. She smelled kind of tangy, like fresh green apples, and her skin was really soft, too. It was weird - whenever they had class together, Lana found that she spent most of her time just watching Hudson, and if that didn't indicate a crush, she didn't know what did. Sometimes she just tried to blame it on the mystery of her friend, all of the questions that seemed to surround her. Hudson always behaved as if she were carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, like she knew more about the fate of humankind or something than anyone else did. And Lana refused to believe that it was more than just coincidence that Hudson Kent was often referred to as the local hero in town - she always seemed to be there when her friends needed her. Not just as a shoulder to cry on but as an honest-to-God guardian angel who saved her friends from life-threatening situations. That alone made Hudson weird. Add her often-strange behavior and the questions she always danced around or outright refused to answer and yes, Hudson became a very fascinating and mysterious individual.
The fact that she was really nice to look at, too, was simply a bonus.
Sighing, Lana reached down and turned up the radio, frowning a little when the deejay insisted on talking at length about the upcoming Crows football game instead of just playing music. She really needed to stop thinking about Hudson so much. They were just friends and Lana didn't really know if she wanted to try any more than that. Beyond the obvious fact that a relationship between her and Hudson wouldn't work in a town like Smallville, there was the whole question as to if she would even like it. She'd always been partial to guys; her feelings for Hudson were an aberration and that didn't make them right.
Besides, she was torn. On the one hand, she had these secret feelings for Hudson and she was tempted to test them out. On the other hand, she knew how much her friend loved Lex and she wanted her to be happy and she would do just about anything to get them back together again. Seriously, Hudson wasn't the only one suffering. As weird as it was to see, Lex wasn't exactly behaving like himself lately either. Lana had this strange belief that he only came to the Talon anymore as an excuse to see Hudson. He would sit there for hours until she finally came in and then Lana would catch him just watching her from across the room. When Hudson finally left, Lex would, too. Sometimes, she just wanted to smack some sense into both of them, even if she did understand Hudson's reluctance.
Not to mention her own selfishness; because other than Chloe, and occasionally Pete, right now Lana had all of Hudson's attention, and she was just fine with that.
The ringing of her cell phone snapped Lana out of her thoughts and she reached into her purse blindly, while keeping her eyes on the road, searching for her phone. Flipping it open, she held it up to her ear. "Hello?"
"Lana, honey." Aunt Nell. "Could you do me a favor before you head home?"
She didn't bother mentioning that she was just about to pull into the drive. "Sure."
"Swing by the Talon and pick up the insurance paperwork for me. I left it all in a manila folder on the desk. I have a meeting with the adjuster in the morning."
"Okay. I'll be home soon."
"Thanks, sweetie."
Tossing her phone back into her purse, Lana pulled up into the drive before backing out onto the road and heading toward town. Driving along the back edge of the Luthor Estate, her thoughts returned to Lex and Hudson and what she could do to hopefully get them comfortable with one another again. Lock them in a room until they have it out? She doubted that would work. Maybe she could talk to Lex. If he understood what Hudson's fears were, if he knew what it was she needed to hear in the way of assurances, then maybe they could work things out.
But did she really want that?
Squinting at the road ahead, Lana applied pressure to the brakes when she realized there was a car blocking the road ahead. She honked the horn and the car sped away past her. Frowning, she watched it go before noticing lights ahead in the trees on the side of the road. Pulling to a stop, she hopped out of the truck and peered into the darkness where she heard a horn sounding repeatedly as if stuck. The underbrush ahead was flattened and bark was torn from a nearby tree.
"Hello?" She called out, starting forward slowly until she began to make out the shape of a van lying upside down in the thicket of trees. "Oh no!"
Rushing forward, she moved to the driver's side of the vehicle, kneeling to the ground to look inside the window where the driver was conscious, though he appeared to be trapped. She knocked on the glass and called out, "Hello? Sir? Are you all right?"
He was ignoring her, staring straight ahead as if fixated on something. That or he really was badly hurt.
"Hello?" She called again.
Still nothing. Curious as to what had his attention, Lana turned her head to the right, following his gaze, her eyes widening at the strange object that was illuminated by the glow of the headlights.
***
Hudson picked up the phone to call Lex three different times before she finally forced herself outside where the temptation of having the phone nearby wasn't as great. She tried to blame it on boredom - her parents were in Grandville looking at pigs, Pete was working at the courthouse after school these days and Chloe was in Metropolis visiting her cousin for the evening. Hudson figured Lana was at the Talon, and she considered going there to visit. The only problem was, it seemed every time Hudson went there lately, Lex was there as well. And he would watch her, and sometimes they'd talk a little, but it was always uncomfortable and forced and the tension was impossibly thick.
It wasn't like she was trying to avoid him. Okay, so she'd had her mom make the deliveries to the castle for the past two weeks and she never bothered calling him but that didn't mean she didn't want to see Lex. She just didn't know if she was ready for a deep, meaningful conversation between them. A vindictive little part of her still wanted to make Lex pay for the hurt he caused her. While the larger, more reasonable part thought the entire situation was ridiculous and she needed to just grow up and accept that bad things happen.
Unfortunately, she wasn't quite mature enough to accept that reasoning yet.
It didn't mean she didn't miss Lex, though. Day in and day out, he was still all that she thought about. She dreamed about him at night, and daydreamed about him in the day. Her favorite daydream involved him showing up in his limo and whisking her away to his penthouse in Metropolis, where he planned on spending as long as it took to convince her to forgive him while he held her captive in bed. Of course, it never took her long to forgive him, even though she didn't admit as much. She wanted to be held captive there as long as possible. Hudson even shared that little fantasy with Lana, who thought it was positively the most romantic thing she'd ever heard.
Scooping up the basketball that lay on the ground outside the picket fence, Hudson twirled it on her index finger for a moment before tossing it behind her back toward the basket that was on the other side of the yard. It landed perfectly through the center of the hoop and Hudson couldn't help but feel a momentary sense of pride at that fact. Okay, so she had a natural physical ability that allowed her to excel at all sports - too bad she wasn't allowed to use it. Her parents would never have to worry about bills again if they would just allow her to exploit her abilities a little bit.
Hearing an approaching vehicle, Hudson turned to glance down the drive and watch as Nell Potter's truck drove into view. Lana waved to her through the windshield before bringing the pickup to a stop a few feet in front of her. She leaned out the open window.
"Hey! You busy?"
Hudson shrugged as she walked over to the door. "Not particularly. In the mood to go riding?"
"No. I need to show you something. Get in." She pointed to the passenger door before slipping the truck out of park.
Squinting at her friend for a moment, Hudson glanced back toward the house, knowing it would be a few hours before her parents returned. Well, whatever Lana wanted to show her had to be better than picking the phone up and setting it back down over and over again. Pulling the door open, she slid into the cab as Lana pulled back to the driveway and onto the road, heading east.
"So, what's going?" Hudson glanced over at her friend.
Lana shook her head. "If I told you what I think it is, you'd never believe me. You're just going to have to see it with your own eyes," she replied. "I'm hoping you can tell me what you think we should do."
Brow furrowing, Hudson shrugged, leaning her elbow on the ledge of the door, chin resting on her palm as she stared out at the passing scenery. There were only a few weeks left to enjoy the green leaves of the trees. Soon, everything in nature would be splashed with the colors of Fall, her mom's favorite time of the year. Hudson could remember making cards and pictures for her parents of leaf patterns and brown, gold and red leaves glued onto black construction paper. Her mom still had each and every piece of artwork from elementary school hidden away in the attic. The days of paste and crayons were long gone, and Hudson missed them terribly at that moment. It certainly beat having your heart ripped out and trampled on by black stilettos.
Speaking of Lex. "Why are we going to Lex's?" Hudson sat up straighter and glanced over at Lana.
"We're not." She pulled onto the shoulder, a couple hundred yards from the entrance gate to the estate. "Come on."
Hudson watched as Lana climbed out of the cab of the truck before following suit. She closed the door behind her, glancing down the road toward the gates, wondering if Lex was home and if he was thinking of her. It was silly and selfish but she really hoped that he was. Sure, she'd never know, but just pretending seemed to be enough.
"Are you coming?"
Glancing away from the road, Hudson watched her friend move through the underbrush into the woods that surrounded the Luthor property. Hurrying after Lana, she found that there was a wide swath cut through the trees leading to an overturned van. Stopping, she looked over it for a moment before asking, "Is this the van you pulled that guy from last night? What's so great about it that you had to show me?"
Lana peered out from around the front of the vehicle. "Not the van, silly." She waved her hand impatiently. "Come here."
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she walked alongside the van to where Lana was waiting for her and pointing. Lifting her gaze, Hudson stared in muted shock at the ship - her ship - that lay in the heavily wooded thicket on Lex's property. Not far from the road. Where anyone could have found it. Including anyone who worked for Lex. Or his father.
Or Lana.
"When I saw it last night, I just knew I had to show it to you first."
Hudson opened her mouth to reply, couldn't form words, and promptly closed it again as Lana moved forward and knelt beside the ship. She ran her hands over the surface before looking up at Hudson expectantly.
"Ummm. what do you think it is?" Hudson was hoping for an answer somewhere along the lines of a weather balloon.
"I'm not certain," Lana replied with a quick shake of her head. "But it looks like a spaceship. See how it's pointed on the end and rounded here? It's just like something you see in cartoons!"
Hell. Cartoons? She tried not to take offense to that. "A spaceship?" Hudson repeated, forcing a smile. "More than likely it's just a satellite or high-tech crop-duster. Or. or even some weird piece of modern art that Lex is too embarrassed to admit he purchased."
"No, I don't think so." Lana settled her hands on her hips as she rose to her feet. "I mean, look at it. Even the surface of it is all weird and stuff. And you should touch it - it feels kind of warm." She looked over at Hudson. "I really think it's from outer space, H.C."
"Yeah. I bet there's little green men running around Lex's property too, Lana," Hudson remarked, trying to find humor in the situation. She waved a hand at the ship. "Tiny green men. And I do mean tiny. Do you see the size of that thing?"
How did the ship get here? Had it come looking for her the day of the storm?
"I'm serious, H.C.," Lana replied, pointing to the ship. "Have you ever seen anything like it?"
Yeah. In our storm cellar. About four months ago. "Look, Lana, if aliens came to Earth, don't you think they'd find somewhere a little more exciting to visit than Smallville?"
"Not really." Lana shrugged. "I mean look at all of the books and stuff that Chloe's always reading - about crop circles and cattle mutations. Somewhere like Smallville is perfect." Hudson continued to stare down at her ship, frowning. She was surprised to find that Lana was so ready to believe in aliens from outer space. Seriously, if she wasn't what she was and someone walked up to her and claimed there was a spaceship in the woods, she would have them committed or something.
"What do you think we should do? I mean, we should tell someone, right?"
"Huh?" Hudson blinked at Lana's questions before catching what she'd asked. "Oh. Ummm. we should probably take it back to my place. Then. then we can ask my dad what to do."
Lana furrowed her brow. "Are you sure? I really think we should call someone, H.C.. Like the authorities? I didn't tell Sheriff Ethan about it when he questioned me at the hospital last night because I wanted you to see it first. I mean, I didn't want you to think I'm insane or anything." She blushed a little in embarrassment before waving her hand to the ship. "But it could be dangerous."
"I don't think it is. I mean, look at it. It's just sitting there." Hudson shook her head. "Come on. Together we should be able to get it into the truck. Then we'll take it back to the farm. It'll be safe there. Okay?"
Her friend hesitated only a moment longer before stepping forward and nodding. "Okay. If you think that's where we should take it." Her tone suggested she didn't agree.
Of course, Hudson didn't need her help with the ship, but it would have looked a little suspicious if she just picked the thing up and tossed it into the back of the truck. They both took a position behind it and pushed, carefully moving it through the leaves and the dirt around the side of the overturned van. All the while, Hudson made certain to take most of the work herself, while still not using her full strength so that it seemed rather difficult and heavy to push to Lana. She couldn't help but wonder if the ship had the ability to get scuff marks and scratches? Or was it impervious to anything they attempted to do to it?
"Now what?" Lana straightened when they reached the back of the pickup before stepping around the ship to open the tailgate.
Now I just pick it up and toss it into the truck. "Ummm. we'll lift it up by the front there, and place it on the truck, then push it from the back," Hudson suggested, moving to join Lana by the nose of the ship.
"Are you sure we can?" Lana asked, staring at it with a frown. "It's kind of heavy."
"It'll be fine. We'll just do a little bit at a time," Hudson encouraged, knowing she would take most of the weight.
They reached down together and lifted the front half of the ship onto the back of the truck, watching closely as it teetered precariously on its end. Waving her to the back, Hudson waited for Lana to join her then they slid their hands beneath the flat surface and heaved it upwards, sliding it onto the bed of the truck.
"See?" Hudson flashed her a nervous smile. "Easy."
Lana frowned briefly before heading toward the cab. Sighing, Hudson followed. She just wanted to get the ship back into the cellar, and forget this ever happened. Hopefully her friend could do the same.
They were both silent on the way to the farm. Hudson's mind whirled with a million questions that she wanted to ply Lana with. Did she find it freaky to think that a spaceship might have landed? That there might be aliens among them? What would she do if she knew an alien? Never before did Hudson have someone important to her come this close to knowing her secret. It was kind of exciting. And kind of terrifying. While Lana questioned the strange occurrences and Hudson's ability to always be at the right place at the right time, she usually just let the matter go. But Hudson knew that if it had been Lex who found the ship, this entire situation would be completely different.
Holding back the sigh of relief as they passed beneath the Kent Farm sign, Hudson glanced over at Lana, noting that the frown on her face had grown darker. She was obviously thinking about something that was bothering her. Hoping to waylay her thoughts as the truck came to a stop, Hudson told her, "Come on. Let's get this thing unloaded. We can hide it in the barn until my parents get home." She opened the door to hop out of the truck.
Without another word between them, they unloaded the ship from the back of the pickup in the same manner that they got it in, then spent the next few minutes pushing it into the barn. Sighing with no small amount of relief once it was safely inside, Hudson turned to find Lana watching her, brow still furrowed in thought.
"H.C.. "
Hudson sucked in a breath. "Yeah?"
"I think we should take it to the police."
Please, Lana. Don't do this now. "That's not necessary. My dad - "
"I'm the one who found it, H.C." Lana shook her head as she settled her hands on her hips and looked up at her friend. "I've already lied to the police because I didn't know what else to do. Whatever this thing is, it could be dangerous and I think we need to alert somebody to it."
"It's not dangerous, Lana."
"How do you know?" She demanded.
"Well. It didn't do anything to us while we were bumping and scraping it along the ground."
Lana reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "I'm calling the sheriff's department."
"Lana, no." Hudson took a step toward her, hoping her panic wasn't showing. "That isn't. just wait, okay?"
"No, H.C. This is important." She pointed to the ship with her phone. "You're not the one who could get into trouble here. I've had enough weird things happen to me around this town that the last thing I want to do is give more people reason to come after me. You could be right - it might not be a spaceship. But what if it's a bomb? Or anything else that shouldn't be here?"
"It's not a bomb," Hudson muttered, frustration mounting.
"You don't know that." Lana dialed the numbers into her cell phone and held it to her ear, flashing a sharp look at Hudson as she did so.
Panic setting in, Hudson jumped forward and yanked the phone from Lana's hand, tossing it to the ground and stepping on it. The crunch beneath her boot signaled that Lana wouldn't be making that call.
Her friend stared at her in shock for a long moment before demanding, "What has gotten into you? I can't believe you just did that! What - suddenly you could give a damn whether or not I get in trouble with the police?"
"Lana, that isn't it. You aren't going to get into trouble," Hudson defended.
"I obviously shouldn't have taken you out there with me. Maybe I should have trusted Chloe instead," Lana snapped. "She would have made the decision to do the right thing. You're - you're withholding evidence!"
"What? Lana, that's insane. Evidence against what?"
"I don't know. But you obviously don't care what happens to me." Lana turned and stalked away, headed out of the barn and back to the driver's side of the truck. "You probably want to show it to Lex or something. Let the Luthor money figure out what to do with it. Hide it away while, in the meantime, everyone comes looking to me for answers."
"That isn't it at all." Hudson followed her. "Lana. Stop. Where are you going?"
"Since you destroyed my phone, I'll just go to the station personally and tell Sheriff Ethan everything. I have the ship. You don't."
"Dammit, Lana." Hudson caught up to her as she slammed the door. "If our friendship means anything to you, don't do this. Please?"
Lana turned to glare at Hudson, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Why? It obviously means nothing to you." Shifting the gears into reverse, Lana turned the truck around and headed down the drive.
Hudson stood staring after the pickup in shock. What was she supposed to do? Her parents weren't here to help her out of this situation. If Lana got to the police station and told Ethan everything, certainly they would come out to investigate. While it was possible her mom and dad would be back by then, even if they were able to hide it from detection, there would likely be a lot more attention cast in their direction. And then what?
She didn't think of the consequences. All Hudson knew in that instant was that a) her secret could possibly be in danger of being handed to the wrong people, and b) her friendship with Lana was in serious jeopardy. Whatever past transgressions she and Lana might forgive one another for, Hudson knew she'd gone too far this time. And there was only one way out of that.
The Truth.
She wasn't thinking when she sped down the drive and moved in front of the truck. She wasn't thinking when she slammed her hands onto the hood of the vehicle and stopped it in its tracks. Thought continued to elude her as she and Lana stared at one another through the windshield, her friend's expression one of confusion and shock. The reflection of her own in the glass, resignation.
"Lana," she called out quietly once truck stopped spinning its tires. "We have to talk."
***
Lex sat staring at his cell phone, running all of the reasons not to call Hudson through his mind. She was being incredibly selfish, after all, thinking that this entire situation was all about her. Apparently only her feelings mattered. But what about him? He was the one who almost lost everything to a gorgeous, conniving bitch that he'd been foolish enough to marry. He'd even been set on fire! And yet, it only mattered that Hudson was hurt. Hudson sat in jail for a few hours. Hudson was accused of arson. He yelled at her. Oh, boo hoo.
Then again, Hudson was only sixteen. He was her first relationship, and he truly believed she loved him. He didn't know why, and it was probably best that he didn't bother contemplating the question of why too closely. What mattered was that she loved him, she trusted him and he'd betrayed all of that by getting married. He'd hurt her, deeply; the kind of hurt that stayed with you.
He hadn't meant to do it, though. That was the main problem. Desiree was yet another in the long line of mutant freaks that had a particular affinity for seeking Lex out and screwing him over. He didn't know what he was doing; he'd been under the impression that the woman loved him, and he loved her. He'd even felt it. Or, at least, felt something that he believed was supposed to be love. It wasn't his fault. Hudson should know him better than that, know that every action he made was completely against his nature. If he'd known what he was doing, Lex never, ever would have gone so far as to hurt Hudson like that.
Only, he was forced to admit he had to accept some of the blame. He'd let Desiree get close, too close. She was a beautiful woman, and he'd been bored and intrigued and those made for a difficult combination. Even if he never planned on allowing anything to happen, he'd opened the door for the possibility by inviting her to have a drink with him. Lex allowed his baser instincts to get in the way of what was right, to act on the moment, and he'd hurt the one person he truly cared about in doing so.
What if their situations were reversed? Lex knew he wouldn't have taken it very well if another man had been with Hudson, kissing her, fucking her. God, he would rip the hands off of any man who touched her. Even with the carefully schooled self-control his father beat into him continually, Lex knew that he wouldn't mutely stand by and watch Hudson commit herself to someone else. She belonged to him, dammit.
Grabbing his cell, Lex flipped to the phone book where the Kent's number was listed at the top. Hitting speed dial, he waited as the line began to ring, tapping his fingers impatiently on the glass top of his desk.
"Hi. You've reached the Kent Farm. If you're calling to place an order for our organic produce, please leave your name, number and the items you're looking for and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a nice day!"
Sighing at the familiar sound of Martha's message, Lex considered leaving a message but instead closed the phone, tossing it back to his desk. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was better this way - that they remain simple friends and forget that anything more ever occurred between them. After all, he'd done little more for Hudson than succeed in hurting her over and over again. He knew that somewhere down the line, not to far in the future, he would end up hurting her again.
Rising from his chair, Lex moved over to the bar to pour himself a glass of juice. Unfortunately, seeing the oranges and apples stacked in the bowl at the end of the countertop reminded him how much he screwed up. Hudson wasn't even making deliveries to the castle anymore. Last Sunday he'd hung around the kitchen with Dodd, waiting for her to show up, only to find Mrs. Kent appearing at the door, box of produce in hand. She'd seemed embarrassed, made some comment about flighty teenagers, and then hurried back out the door.
The worst of it was, Lex kept waiting for the study doors to fling open and Hudson to come bouncing into the room, full of too much energy, begging him to go riding or play pool or drive into Salina to grab some burgers at the Cozy Inn. An argument regarding all of the work he had to do would ensue and eventually they would end up on the couch, making out, forgetting about going outdoors or working on reports, and it would be a perfect day. Only, it wouldn't because it wasn't going to happen.
It was because of Hudson that Lex grew used to unexpected visitors at any time, night or day. Not long ago, he would have been more alert to people moving through the house who shouldn't have been there. The staff was used to allowing guests to wander the premises and even he barely noticed when the doors to the room he was in opened. Maybe he should be more aware, but Lex couldn't help but feel safe in Smallville, no matter what outrageous occurrences happened to him. His angel lived here, which automatically made him safe. He was certain that no matter what might happen between them, Hudson would always be there when he needed her.
Sipping at his juice, Lex glanced over at his phone, sitting on the glass desktop, taunting him. He glared at it, wishing he could dare it to ring, when he heard the click of the study doors behind. Trying not to put all his faith in hope, Lex turned, only to frown and fight to suppress a sigh at the sight of his father, and a LuthorCorp lackey, moving in through the doors.
"Lex? Lex, are you in here?" Lionel called out, his walking stick making tapping noises against the ground as his assistant guided him into the room.
Lex found himself wishing the assistant was blind, too. Then he could just quietly sneak out the side door and pretend he left for the day. To China or something. Sighing, he glanced over at his father. "Yeah, Dad, I'm right here. I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you."
He watched as the assistant reached up to take Lionel's coat but his father batted his hands away angrily. "No! Get out."
Smiling a bit in amusement, Lex moved forward to take his father's arm and lead him forward to one of the chairs. "Is everything all right?" He asked, taking a seat across from him. "Your doctors tell me your recovery is going well."
It was difficult for Lex to discuss his father's injuries with him - the physical therapy, the blindness, everything that Lex was responsible for. Simple discussion brought back the memories, how he stood there, thinking life would be easier without his father around, that all he had to do was not help him, claim the storm killed him. And even when he'd tried to make things right, when he changed his mind and wanted to save his father, knew that he couldn't live with himself if he'd let anything happen - even then he'd screwed up, waited too long, hurt his father anyway. Then came the decision to let them go ahead with surgery too soon. A decision that left his father blind.
Every bit of it was Lex's fault, and there was nothing he could do to change that.
"It is," Lionel replied with a smile and a nod. "So well, in fact, that Dr. Roland suggested I take a break from the rigors of physical therapy. He thought that some time away from the uh. stress of living and working in Metropolis would be more. beneficial right now."
"Of all the places you could have gone you decided to come here?" Something was up, Lex was certain of it.
"We'll have a chance for some father-son bonding. You've always told me I've been lax in that requirement, Lex." Lionel smiled again.
Lex refrained from replying that there was such a thing as too little, too late. Instead, he asked, "How long are you planning to stay?"
"A few days, maybe a week."
For the first time since the storm, Lex was pleased that his father was blind. This way, he was unable to see the look of shock and possible panic that was likely clearly expressed on his face. He took a moment to digest this information, staring at his father's dark glasses, wondering what his motives were for choosing Smallville as opposed to the dozens of other vacation houses scattered around the world.
"Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable at the beach house?" He suggested when he regained the power of speech. "I think the sea air would be invigorating."
"I'm getting the distinct impression, Lex, that you don't want me here," Lionel accused, frowning just a bit.
Blind or not, his father certainly hadn't lost his powers of intuition, that was for certain. Lionel was right - Lex didn't want him there. It had been years since they'd last lived in the same confines and only by moving into the penthouse had Lex succeeded in not committing patricide at an early age. This was a bad idea. Of that, Lex was certain.
Of course, he couldn't and wouldn't say as much to his father. Not when it was his responsibility that Lionel was here in the first place. He owed his father, at least this much, to offer to take care of him for awhile. To call a temporary truce between them.
"No, Father," he denied, hoping he sounded sincere. "I just want what's best for you. Stay as long as you like."
Lionel smiled and settled back against the couch, leaving Lex to wonder if he hadn't just been suckered in by the world's biggest guilt trip.
***
Hudson sat on the porch step, staring down the drive when she heard the familiar sound of her parents truck approaching. She sighed and chewed on a fingernail. How was she supposed to explain what she did today?
The talk with Lana. hadn't gone well. She shouldn't have expected it to, and now Hudson understood what her parents always warned her about. After all, how was a person supposed to take the news that aliens are real? Let alone that the best friend you thought you knew happens to be one.
For minutes after Hudson stopped the truck, they just stared at one another before Lana finally opened the door and slid out of the cab. She'd approached Hudson warily, waiting for an explanation, an apology - likely anything other than what Hudson had to tell her.
"Lana, I. You can't tell anyone about the ship."
"How did you just do that?" Lana pointed to the truck, ignoring her words.
"I... " Hudson swallowed. Now that she was able to think again, she realized this was a really dumb idea. But there was no way out. No quick little lie would get her out of this one. "That ship. I. It's mine."
Lana stared at her, her expression unchanging, disbelieving.
"Thirteen years ago, my ship landed here in Smallville, and the Kents found me and took me in to raise as their own." God, it sounded unreal, even to her own ears.
Lana opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, then closed it again. Instead, she simply shook her head.
"Lana, it's true. Think about it - all of those times I've saved you and never offered you an explanation as to how, the truck just now." She waved a hand toward the truck, knowing she was babbling and not caring. "Remember your necklace? The meteor rock? It always made me sick when you got too close. That's why I've only ever been able to really get close to you after you stopped wearing it. I'm allergic to the meteor rock and - "
"So you're some sort of... what? You're not a human?"
Hudson blinked. It really hurt to hear that from the people that mattered. "I don't know what I am, Lana. I don't know where that ship brought me from. I just know that I grew up in Smallville, and everything that I care about and everyone that I care about is here."
"If you care about me so much, how come you never told me sooner?" Her friend demanded.
"Lana, believe me, there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't want to tell you, but my parents thought it was too dangerous. Not just for me, but for anyone else who knew the truth."
Lana took a step back. "You didn't think I could handle it?"
"Can you?" Hudson frowned as the girl began walking around her slowly, looking at her as if she was some kind of fascinating bug. She tried not to let that hurt even more. "Lana, another reason why I didn't say anything is because I knew people would look at me the exact same way that you're looking at me right now."
"And how's that?" She backed up a little, wrapping her arms around herself protectively.
"Like a freak," she replied, sighing when Lana's eyes widened a little in confirmation. "Lana, I've tried my whole life just to blend in, to try and be more normal than anyone else."
Lana didn't say anything. Just continued to stare at her, hugging herself.
"Would you just say something?" Hudson pleaded, the desperation coming through in her voice. "Call me... call me an alien, call me a monster. I don't care, just say something."
"It's like I don't even know you," Lana whispered.
Hudson winced, and took a step toward her, holding her hand out. "Yes, you do know me. I'm the same girl who pulled on your pigtails in first grade and goes riding with you and spent an entire weekend over the summer watching Keanu Reeves' movies. Nothing has changed."
A strange expression fell over Lana's face and her hand fluttered upwards between them, covering her mouth. "Thirteen years. oh my god. You. the meteor shower. "
Shaking her head quickly, Hudson took another step toward Lana. "Lana, no. I. I mean, yes, my ship came with the meteors but I don't know anything about them. I don't know why it happened and - "
"You killed my parents!" Lana shouted, tears escaping from her eyes. "All this time - and you knew!"
"Lana - " Hudson reached out for her, voice breaking at her friend's pain. "Please?"
"Stay away from me!" Lana ran past her, back to the truck, hurriedly climbing in and slamming the door behind her.
"Lana, please! Let me explain," Hudson called out, knowing that it would do no good. Her friend saw her as a murderer, and Hudson couldn't help but think she wasn't far from the truth.
After rousing herself from the pain and fear her conversation with Lana caused, Hudson made her way back up to the barn and moved the ship down into the cellar where it belonged. Suddenly hating the sight of it, she hadn't lingered long, returning to the house to sit on the porch steps and wait for her parents to come home.
"Hey, honey." Hudson looked up to see her mom and dad walking in to the yard, arms loaded with bags of groceries. "What are you doing out here?"
"Waiting for you," she replied quietly, climbing to her feet to take the bags from her mom. She followed her parents into the kitchen, setting the groceries on the counter while her mom began sorting through them.
"Did you get the fence in the south pasture fixed?" Her dad asked, glancing at her from across the kitchen.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"H.C., what's wrong?" Her mom asked as she placed a dozen cans of Coke into the refrigerator. "You seem upset."
Both of her parents looked at her expectantly.
"I, uh, found the ship today."
"What?" Her dad straightened up at her words and moved toward her. "Where was it? Were you able to bring it back?"
"It was tucked back in the woods, on Lex's property," she told them, inwardly sighing when her dad blanched with her words. "It's in the storm cellar now."
"How did you find it?" Martha moved over to them, touching Hudson's arm gently.
"Lana found it." Hudson glanced at her parents before dropping her gaze. "Last night, when she pulled that guy from the van. She came by today to show it to me." "And she hasn't told anyone about it?" Her mom asked, concerned. Hudson shook her head. "No. She wanted to. She wanted to go to the police about it. But I convinced her not to." And you're not going to like my solution. Unfortunately, she didn't have the strength to admit that much to them at the moment. Her world was upside down as it was. She didn't need her parents yelling at her and reminding her what kind of danger she'd put herself in to compound the fear she already felt. Fear at losing her friend, at being alone, at everything. "What did you tell her?" Jonathan asked. Hudson went with her original plan. "That I was going to wait until you got home to find out what we should do." She paused, deciding to gauge their reaction to telling the truth. "What. what do I do if she asks about whether or not you told anyone?" "You're gonna have to play dumb," Jonathan replied with a shrug, like it was expected. "Dad, I'm sick of lying," Hudson told him. And she was. Unfortunately, the truth hadn't turned out to be the best option either. "H.C., you don't have much of a choice here." She nodded, took a deep breath and suggested, "Well, I can tell Lana the truth." "H.C.. "
"Dad, she's not gonna tell anyone." She didn't know that. As angry and hurt as Lana was when she left, she might decide to strike out at Hudson, pay her back for what happened to her parents. But she tried not to think about that.
"Honey, people slip sometimes," her mom told her, patting her arm. "Even the most trustworthy of friends."
Her dad nodded. "This information is way too dangerous for Lana."
"We understand that this secret is a huge burden," Martha continued, tucking a strand of Hudson's hair behind her ear gently. "But if you share it with Lana, you might be giving her a responsibility she's not ready to take on."
Or she might hate you for it. Hudson glanced at her parents, nodding slightly, but didn't bother admitting that the damage had already been done.
***
Hudson was roused from her bed earlier than usual that morning from a panicked call from her mom downstairs. Speeding out of her room, she raced into the kitchen to find her mom waiting for her, expression grim.
"Mom? What is it?" She feared the worst, like her dad decided to work on the tractor without her there and an accident had occurred.
"The ship," Martha told her. "It's gone."
Hudson blinked. They'd had a conversation like this before, hadn't they? Only, the ship had been found and was safe in the cellar. "Mom, that's impossible. Unless I dreamed up yesterday's events, the ships in the - "
"It's gone. Your father's out there now. He told me to get you."
Heedless of the fact that she was still in her pajamas, Hudson hurried out of the house and to the storm cellar where her dad was standing at the bottom of the steps, staring at the empty space in front of him. The ground that only last night held her spaceship. Jonathan glanced over at her as she stepped down beside him, staring in befuddlement. What the hell?
"Do you think Lana followed through on her desire to alert the authorities?" He asked, regarding her with a frown.
Hudson shook her head, still staring. "No. No, she. " She refused to believe her friend would be capable of such a thing. She wouldn't betray her like that. "Lana would trust us to do the right thing." It hurt to say, but it was true.
"Then someone else knew about it, H.C."
She lifted her gaze to meet her dad's eyes. They were tired, frustrated. "Dad, I'm sorry. "
He sighed. "It isn't your fault, H.C. - "
"Everyday it seems like something else happens to endanger our family and I just don't know how to stop it anymore." She bit her lower lip and turned away, wanting very much to hit something.
"Hey." Her dad reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. "We'll face this like we do everything else. Together. While you're at school, I'll do some looking and see if there's any information out there regarding someone discovering a spaceship. That's all we can do until we can figure out who took it. All right?"
She sighed, knowing he was right. She was just going to have to confront Lana at school and see if she knew anything. And that terrified the hell out of her. Nodding to her dad, Hudson made her way back to the house to change and begin her chores.
By the time she made it to school, the last thing Hudson could really concentrate on was history and English. Normally, when her mind was this confused and worried, she would find Lex and they would talk - even if it was rarely about what was really bothering her - and he would make her feel better. They would watch movies or play pool or just make out on the couch and her worries would fade away. But that option wasn't available to her anymore. In fact, she really couldn't even allow herself to think about it on top of everything else. If she did, she might just break down and scream her lungs out.
Moving down the corridor toward her biology class, Hudson glanced ahead to see Lana at the lockers, exchanging her books. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her way through the crowd of students and walked up beside her friend, leaning against the lockers.
"Hey," she greeted with a smile, shoving her hands into her back pockets as she watched Lana hopefully. Her friend didn't acknowledge her presence. "Look, Lana, I know you're freaked out. Don't you think I freak myself out sometimes?"
Lana remained silent, stowing her books away in her locker from her bag, then replacing them with others.
Sighing, Hudson dropped her gaze for a moment, hating that the truth always had to be so difficult and painful. Of all the people she probably never should have told, it was Lana. Her arrival with the meteor shower just affected Lana's life too greatly. Frustration mounting, Hudson tried again.
"All right, look. You have every reason in the world to hate me, Lana, but I need you help. When we woke up this morning, the ship was gone."
A freshman girl at a locker beside Lana's flashed Hudson a strange look, eyebrows crooked before she slammed her locker closed and walked away.
"What? Do you think I took it?" Lana snapped, casting her a glare before shoving another book into her bag.
"No. Of course not," Hudson denied the charge quickly. "I just wondered if you mentioned anything to anyone? Or, the guy you pulled out of the truck -- he must have told someone something. I thought we could - "
Lana cut her off. "The other day, when we were moving the ship. You said it was heavy. You were lying, weren't you? And everyday you've missed the bus and still ended up at school ahead of the rest of us? You always said you got a ride, but you never got rides, did you?" Turning, she started down the hall, Hudson moving close beside her. "You know, I thought I'd finally found a friend in you, H.C. I thought you'd forgiven me for the way I used to treat you and that we were really growing close. Best friends. But everything you've ever told me was a lie!"
Hudson couldn't help but feel a little angry. She'd done everything she could to be a good friend to Lana. "Maybe I was right not telling you with the way you're reacting."
Stopping in the hall, Lana glared at Hudson angrily. "H.C, you don't get it do you? I don't care if you're from the moon. One day I might even be able to overlook that fact that you've known the reason my parents had to die and you've never told me." She shook her head, anger turning to hurt. "You never trusted me. What kind of friendship is that?"
Hudson opened her mouth to reply when Chloe appeared beside them. "Hey, you two. Why didn't you tell me about the superhero deal?"
They both looked at her, startled and shocked into silence.
Chloe grinned, as if they were suddenly very amusing. "Lana pulls a guy from a mangled van and rushes him to the hospital? That's got Torch exclusive written all over it." She turned to Lana, still smiling. "So how about an interview?"
"I don't think so," Lana replied quietly.
"Your reluctance wouldn't be part of a vast conspiracy designed to cover up the whole spaceship thing, would it?"
Hudson blinked at her words. "Wh-what are you talking about?"
"My source from the medical center gave me a call," she replied, shrugging her purse strap more securely over her shoulder. "He said that the guy that Lana brought in was rambling on about some alien spacecraft that landed in the cornfield." Her eyes were shining with barely suppressed excitement.
"You don't really believe that, do you?" Hudson wondered how much more screwed up the situation could get.
The blonde shrugged. "I don't know." She glanced at Lana. "Not unless Lana can corroborate the story."
Pursing her lips, Lana glanced sidewise at Hudson, her gaze considerate. "Sure, Chloe. I saw a spaceship. I even met an alien."
Hudson sucked in a sharp breath and stared at her friend, silently pleading with her not to do this.
"Really?" Chloe seemed amused, if not very curious. "Would you like to describe it?"
"Actually it looked a lot like H.C.," Lana remarked.
Chloe frowned, glancing at Hudson. "I thought aliens were little and green."
Lana shrugged. "I guess things aren't always what you think they are." Flashing another glare at Hudson, she turned and walked away.
Eyebrows raised, Chloe turned to glance up at Hudson curiously. "Okay, what's up with her?"
"Nothing. Just that time of the month and junk," Hudson answered hurriedly, steering Chloe away from the direction of the hall Lana disappeared down. "Ummm, you're not really looking into this UFO story are you? I mean, it sounds like Inquisitor stuff."
"Maybe." Chloe shrugged. "But if there is some truth to it, that's front- page news. For the Daily Planet." She grinned up at Hudson before hurrying away toward the Torch office.
Sighing, Hudson glanced down both directions of the hall. Hell.
***
Hudson could only imagine how horrid it would be to gather eggs if her skin wasn't invulnerable. She hated chickens - they were nasty, smelly creatures who deserved nothing less than to be fried up in oil and served alongside a helping of mashed potatoes. And she always received the smallest bit of satisfaction whenever one of the dumber hens decided to take a peck at her hand, and wound up stunned and walking around in circles for the following few minutes.
She always got stuck with the crappy chores.
Sighing, Hudson balanced the bowl of fresh eggs in one hand while she opened the door to the kitchen and stepped inside, immediately coming to a halt when she noticed Lex sitting at the island. He looked up as she entered and flashed her a hesitant smile.
"Hi."
Shifting from one foot to the other for a moment, Hudson bobbed her head in greeting as she hurried over to the counter to deposit the bowl. "Hi."
"Your mom said it would be okay if I waited for you."
Figures.
Ever since everything came to light regarding Desiree's perfidy, Martha Kent had been on some kind of crusade to convince Hudson to make up with Lex. She didn't understand it. Hudson always believed her mom hadn't been too pleased with their relationship. Apparently she'd been wrong because every time she became particularly grumpy, missing Lex and wishing she could just forget everything that happened, her mom would suggest going over to see him. Or tell her that people who really cared about one another could make it through the difficult times. Or how there was no more reason to blame Lex for what happened than her dad.
And while she agreed with everything her mom said to her, she just couldn't make them understand that it wasn't as if she was angry with Lex. It wasn't as if she hadn't forgiven him for what happened. It was just. she couldn't stop thinking about it. It was her hatred of the situation itself, of what she felt throughout that entire nightmarish week, of every unbidden image that would creep into her mind of Lex and Desiree together. That was what held her back. She wanted to be with Lex, she wanted to tell him that it was all right. But Hudson knew couldn't do that until she accepted what had happened. Until she knew in her heart that it never really meant anything to Lex. And then she could let it go.
Silence continued behind her. Hudson fidgeted, rearranging the eggs in the bowl. "Umm. what's up?" She asked without turning.
There was a slight pause and Hudson began worrying her lower lip as she waited for Lex to speak, hating the tension, and knowing there was nothing she could do to ease it at the moment.
"I just needed to get out of the mansion," he replied finally. "It's getting crowded."
Hudson felt a smile at his remark. She'd heard that Lionel was visiting and sympathized with Lex for suddenly having to share his personal space with his dad. Turning, she leaned back against the counter, meeting his gaze. "Lex, the mansion has seventy-five rooms. It can't be that hard to get away from your dad," she teased.
He acknowledged her humor with a slight smirk. "Yeah, well, he takes up a lot of space."
Kicking at the floor, Hudson glanced down at her work boots, thinking how it was easier just to not look at Lex. She loved him so much, and acknowledging the silent plea in his eyes to close this distance between them was more than she could handle right now. "So. ummm. when is he going back to Metropolis?"
"Not soon enough."
"Is he really being that difficult?" She spun back around and began separating the eggs onto the counter - smaller ones in one pile, larger eggs in another.
"Just the opposite," Lex replied, the bewilderment evident in his voice. "He's the picture of civility. Says he wants to work on our relationship."
Hudson frowned. "Is that such a bad thing?" One of the eggs threatened to roll off the counter and she silently reminded herself not to use her superspeed to catch it. Luckily, her hand got there before the egg reached the edge.
"He's lied to me so many times it's hard to believe he doesn't have an ulterior motive."
Poor Lex. She couldn't imagine not being able to trust her parents. Okay, so there was the whole Santa Claus fiasco, but she couldn't really blame them for that. All parents lied to their children about that one - it was an accepted practice in child development or something.
She glanced over her shoulder. He was still looking at her, and she turned back around quickly. "Maybe you can give him the benefit of the doubt?" She suggested.
"No. No. If a person's deceived me once, I find it hard to give them a second chance."
The egg she was holding in her hand broke into a mess of yolk, egg white and splintered shell. "Shit," she muttered, diving for the sink as the slimy substance began dripping between her fingers onto the floor. Chickens sucked.
And so did lying. It sucked to no end, and it all ready had her in trouble with Lana. And someday, she just knew, the same goddamned issue would happen with Lex, and what was she supposed to do then? He just told her that he doesn't give people who lie to him a second chance, and damn but if her lie isn't the lie to end all lies. Hello, Lex. I'm not human, got it? That's right. I'm an alien. You've had your gorgeous mouth all over an alien body. What do you think of that??
"Problem?"
Hudson started, glancing to her right to find Lex standing beside her, holding a towel out to her, the barest hint of amusement glinting in his silver eyes. "Ummm. sometimes the eggs are really fragile."
She turned on the water to wash her hand off, and then took the towel from Lex to dry it. She could still feel Lex watching her, his gaze assessing. She took her time folding the towel, setting it on the counter beside her before she brought her gaze back to his. He was standing really close, she could feel the heat of his body, smell his cologne, and the hint of musk that was entirely his own. Hudson's eyes focused on a piece of lint near the shoulder of his jacket, and she ached to reach out and pick it away. But if she touched him now she might never stop, and that just wasn't right. Not with everything that still stood between them.
"How's school going?"
Her eyes drifted back to his. "Good. Surprisingly uneventful. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop or something."
"Maybe life will calm down from here on out," Lex suggested quietly.
Hudson raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. And maybe Mary Poppins will show up on the doorstep, snap her fingers and finish all my chores for me."
Lex smiled a little in response, his gaze moving over her as he remained silent a moment longer before asking, "By the way, do you remember that piece of scrap metal I had on my desk? The octagonal one?"
Swallowing any reaction to his question about the disc, Hudson shrugged. "Uh, kinda. Why?"
"It came up today," he replied in a non-committal tone. "Made me wonder what happened to it."
It was hard not to panic at the idea of the key to her ship missing. Then again the ship was missing, too. Could they be in the same place? Maybe they went home without her. They probably both got completely fed up with Earth and humans and decided to head back out to the stars. As much as she longed to discover that information regarding who she was and where she came was locked away in the ship, something about the idea that she no longer had to deal with it made her feel an overwhelming sense of relief. Then again, it was entirely possible both the ship and the key had been found by someone.
Nah. That kind of story would have been in the papers already.
Glancing up at Lex, Hudson asked, "When did you lose it?"
"During the storm."
She bit back the sigh of relief. "It probably got carried away with all the other debris from the mansion, you know?"
Lex nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure you're right."
More silence. Hudson looked away from Lex, her gaze sweeping over the wood floor. A part of her really wanted him to leave. Another part of her wished he would stay forever. She hated being this conflicted, and this uncertain. Every part of her screamed that it was right to forgive him, to just forget everything that happened with Desiree and move forward. Except her heart. It was loudly proclaiming that to trust Lex was stupid, and would only get her hurt again.
Hudson started from her thoughts when Lex suddenly reached out and touched her cheek, drawing her eyes back to his.
"I miss you," he told her quietly.
Her lips parted at his admission. God, she hated hearing the sorrow in his voice. She didn't want to cause him pain, she didn't want revenge or anything. Then again, in the past two weeks, Lex really hadn't made any move to apologize or ask for her forgiveness again. She didn't understand what was going on between them. Had they silently come to a mutual agreement that a relationship simply wouldn't work?
No, she didn't want to think that.
"I miss you, too," she offered, trying not to move into his touch, even though his hand lingered, thumb caressing her cheek.
Lex's eyes searched hers, as if determining the truth of her words. He nodded once, as if finding what he was looking for. "Do you. we should go to dinner soon. Nothing fancy, just a night out together."
Did he have any idea how much she wanted to say yes? Instead, Hudson found herself shaking her head. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Lex."
His hand fell away from her cheek and a blank mask immediately fell over his expression. "You're right. I guess it wouldn't be." His tone was clipped. "I'd better go."
"Lex. "
Hudson turned to follow him as he moved around her toward the door, but he didn't stop. She watched in dismay as the screen door slammed shut behind him. Why must she succeed in hurting everyone she cared about?
"Dammit." She sighed in self-disgust.
Obviously she was having serious relationship issues this week.
***
"I'm going for a walk, Nell," Lana called out as she exited the house, letting the door slam shut behind her. Tugging her light sweater around her shoulders, she moved down the steps and across the yard toward the path that led through the woods.
Glancing up, she slowly came to a stop, staring at the sky through the canopy of trees above her. Knowing for a certainty that there was life out there, that there were such things as aliens, was kind of disappointing. It was almost like the end of innocence or something. Maybe there were just some mysteries that were never meant to be solved. Lana couldn't help but feel anger towards Hudson for ruining that for her. The knowledge, on top of the lies and distrust, was almost too much to fathom. She didn't want to be angry at her friend - she wanted to help and understand - but she just couldn't find that kind of acceptance or forgiveness in her heart yet.
She wanted to. If for no other reason than Hudson was really and truly alone in this world. There was no one else like her, and no one could know who and what she was, and how did she go through life, day to day, like that? At least she now realized why her friend never opened up, why it seemed like she was always hiding, always buried beneath layers and layers of complexity that Lana never understood.
Of course, knowing all of this didn't make any of it easier. Not when Hudson had known, all this time, the reason why Lana's parents had to die, and never said anything to her. It wasn't that she blamed her for their deaths, it was just. she wished Hudson could have trusted her sooner, been honest with her. Lana felt like a fool, and maybe that upset her more than anything. She trusted Hudson, trusted her not to make her feel so stupid and useless. And that was how she felt now. She continued to try to see Hudson's side of it, to empathize with what it must feel like to be an alien, alone among humans but. she just couldn't.
This was the stuff of sci-fi movies, right? And as reference material, there wasn't much there. Typically, all alien-encounters either dealt with humans freaking out, aliens attacking or they were like Star Trek, where the initial encounter occurred long ago and everyone was used to aliens in their midst. It wasn't like Lana could walk up to aunt Nell and say 'So how do you deal with the aliens you know?' because no one other than her and Hudson's parents knew about the alien on earth! God, she almost would have preferred to have never known. It would be easier.
Glancing up, Lana realized that during her walk, she'd subconsciously made her way to the Kent farm. Now she stood there, at the edge of the woods, staring at the darkened farmhouse, wondering where everyone was. She wanted to talk to Hudson's parents, ask what made them decide to take Hudson in and raise her as their own. Why did they choose to keep her identity a secret? Were they satisfied with living this life of lies? Didn't they feel like they were betraying the people they called friends? Did it ever get any easier - knowing what they knew?
Apparently, her questions were going to have to go unanswered for the moment. Turning, she was about to make her way back to the path that would lead her home when she noticed a light coming from the storm cellar at the edge of the east pasture.
Hoping Hudson's parents were there and not Hudson herself - she just wasn't certain that she was ready to discuss all of this with her friend yet - Lana hurried past the barn and work shed, hesitating when she reached the cellar. Peering down the stairs, she waited until she heard movement, signaling that there was indeed someone inside, before she stepped onto the top stair and carefully made her way inside.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent?" She called out, stopping on the second to last step to look up, eyes widening at the older black man who stood near the empty shelves, the contents strewn about the floor around his feet. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? You're trespassing on the Kents' property!"
He lifted a flashlight, shining it into her eyes. "There's a piece missing from the spacecraft," he told her, gaze narrowing in recognition as he stared at her.
"You're the one who stole the spaceship?" Lana asked, lifting a hand to shield her eyes.
"It's octagonal in shape," he continued, ignoring her question. He held up his hand. "The size of my palm. Tell me where it is! I saw you and your friend bring the ship here! You must have the octagon!"
Lana moved backwards, onto the next step, frowning at the strange man who was slowly approaching her. He looked familiar to her. Where had she seen him before? Something to do with the Torch and Chloe. The meteors. That was it! Now she remembered. He was that scientist who used to sell meteor fragments to tourists.
"Aren't you that Dr. Hamilton?" She asked.
Apparently not pleased that she recognized him, Hamilton growled and lunged toward her, causing Lana to take a misstep and fall backwards against the stairs with a cry. She scrambled to push her way back up but he was already leaning over her, shining the flashlight into her eyes.
"Stop it!" She cried out, attempting to glare at him, to make him think she wasn't afraid. Any moment now, Hudson would be there to save her, and then he would be in trouble. "You don't know who you're dealing with! That spaceship belongs to someone a lot smarter and braver than you!"
Too late, she realized her mistake.
Hamilton smiled, reaching out to fondly stroke her cheek with his shaking fingers. "You know who it belongs to. "
Lana immediately shook her head. "Er. no. I don't know anything," she denied quickly, struggling to push away from him, but his hand moved down her face to her neck, where his fingers tightened.
"Tell me. Tell me who it is!" He demanded, spittle flying as he shouted into her face.
Panicking, Lana kicked him in the shin, pushing off of his shoulders and twisting to try to make her way up the steps. Behind her, Hamilton hurried after her, grabbing hold of her ankle and yanking her back down to him. She screamed, kicking and struggling beneath his hold but he was stronger and he flipped her back over, shoving his knee into her stomach to hold her down.
Hand shaking, he covered her mouth to stifle her screams as he leaned back into her face. "The spaceship, I need to know! Are you going to tell me who this belongs to?"
She shook her head, eyes wide as his gaze narrowed.
"Very well. I'll just have to find a more constructive way to get you to. open up to me."
Lana went to scream again when Hamilton pulled his hand back but too quickly he grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and slammed her head back into the edge of the stair.
Darkness immediately consumed her.
***
Could nothing go right this week?
Hudson's parents were beyond angry with her. When her dad asked her earlier if she could talk to Lana again, see if she might have mentioned the spaceship to anyone, Hudson told them that they weren't talking at the moment. Then she proceeded to admit to why, explaining that she confessed everything to Lana regarding her origins.
No, they hadn't been pleased at all. The conversation ground to a quick halt when Nell called, looking for Lana. Apparently, she'd been missing all night. She'd gone for a walk and Nell went to bed, thinking Lana simply got home late. But she woke up that morning to find that Lana's bed hadn't been slept in. She'd checked the Talon, even called Whitney, but Lana was nowhere to be found. She headed toward the high school last, knowing that if anyone might have a clue to her friend's whereabouts, it would be Chloe.
Glancing ahead to where she saw the Torch's editor walking along the path toward the school entrance, attention focused intently on a piece of paper in her hands, Hudson sped up to move alongside her.
"Hey, Chloe, have you seen Lana?"
Chloe looked up at the question and shook her head. "No, but the weird- meter just kicked up another notch." She handed the paper she was reading to Hudson.
Frowning, Hudson read the first few words on the sheet. "A hospital visitor log?"
Nodding, Chloe explained, "Yeah. I was looking into Ray Wallace's death. It turns out he had a visitor drop by just before he flat lined. A certain Dr. Steven Hamilton." She raised her eyebrows as she said the name.
Hudson blinked. "The meteor freak?"
"Yep."
Hudson hadn't heard that name since the Nicodemus flower - a few days in her life that she would rather just forget about. "I thought he left Smallville?"
"So did I." Chloe shook her head before laying out the scenario, "So Lana plays good Samaritan and Dr. Hamilton visits the patient... "
". The patient dies and Lana disappears," Hudson concluded for her.
"It's not exactly a smoking gun, but... "
Hudson cut her off. "It's good enough." She handed the paper back to Chloe. "I'm gonna go check on Hamilton."
"Okay," Chloe responded with a nod. "You know, he used to have a place down on Allentown Road. Maybe he's back there... "
Not waiting for Chloe to continue, Hudson ducked through the bushes and broke into her superspeed out toward Allentown Road.
She couldn't help but think it wasn't coincidental that first Hamilton was using the meteor rocks to regenerate an extinct flower, and now he knew about the spaceship. Something or someone had to have brought him back to Smallville. Obviously, Dr. Hamilton and Lex knew one another, and Lex had something to do with the Nicodemus flower, which was likely why he risked his own life to help find a cure for those infected. But Hudson refused to believe that he continued any association with the scientist, nor did she think he knew anything about the spaceship. Yes, he'd spoken with that one farmer who claimed he saw a ship come down the day of the meteor shower, but since that one discussion, Lex never mentioned anything else to her. Hudson figured he dropped it, realizing how ridiculous the entire story sounded.
Then again, Lex rarely dropped anything.
Slowing as she reached the house on Allentown road, Hudson stopped at the driveway and glanced around until she spied the garage. Focusing her gaze, she peered through the walls to see two figures - one seemed to be bound to a pillar, the other was leaning toward it with a syringe in hand. Eyes widening in panic, Hudson raced forward, crashing through the door just as Hamilton neared Lana's neck with a needle dripping green liquid.
"Lana!" Hudson called out as Hamilton turned to look at her. She glared at him. "Put the needle down!"
Hamilton shook his head. "No, not until she tells me what she knows."
Hudson frowned momentarily, torn between pleasure that Lana apparently had not told him anything and concern that her friend was willing to go through pain and torture in order to keep her secret. She hadn't wanted it to come to this. Not ever. Fixing her eyes on the syringe, Hudson allowed her anger to come to the forefront until the object flamed red and burst into pieces. She started toward Lana but Hamilton jumped to his feet to stop her, succeeding in doing little more than getting in her way and angering her further. Arm snaking out to catch him against the chest, Hudson pushed the scientist across the room where he slammed against a pile of steel barrels. She looked down to see Lana watching her, a mixture of shock and happiness present in her gaze. Forcing a slight smile, Hudson ripped the ropes off of Lana pausing suddenly when an all-too familiar pain shot through her hands, moving in waves up her arms and through her body. Glancing down, she noticed the green drops that soaked into the ropes and realized traces of it were now on her skin. Stumbling, she grasped at her hands, desperate to clean them somehow, but succeeded in doing little more than falling forward into a nearby table and collapsing onto the floor.
"H.C., what's wrong?" Lana cried out, eyes widening in shock as she stared at her.
Hudson struggled to get back to her feet but the pain was ripping through her, causing nausea, dizziness and unspeakable torment that engulfed her senses. "I - I'm allergic to the meteor rocks," she gasped.
Hearing movement behind her, Hudson strained to turn her head just a bit in time to see Dr. Hamilton heading toward her, a beaker of the green fluid in his hand. He stumbled to a stop, standing over her, tipping the beaker threateningly above her, the liquid meteor rock hovering near the rim.
"This ship is yours, isn't it?" He asked, wiping nervously at the sweat on his brow. "Open it. Open it! Open it!"
"H.C!" Lana called to her, struggling to remove the ropes from her ankles.
Pulling free, she jumped to her feet and grabbed a metal pitcher from one of the tables. Using both hands, she slammed it across the side of Hamilton's head, knocking him away from Hudson and into the table beside him. It shook under his weight, the bottles and equipment scattered across the top teetering precariously. One bottle, filled with the liquid meteorite, fell to its side, dripping slowly onto Dr. Hamilton's forehead, each drop immediately absorbing into his skin. Lana stared at the damage for a moment before breaking from her stance and hurrying over to Hudson, leaning over to grab her shoulders and help her to her feet.
"H.C., come on!" She encouraged, shouldering much of Hudson's weight.
Across the room, Hamilton began shaking with blurring speed, drawing both of the girls' attention.
"Lana. " Hudson planted her feet, refusing to move. "Lana, we have to get him to a hospital. "
Her friend was already shaking her head in denial. "No. We have to get you out of here!"
But she couldn't allow that. Whatever this man may have done, was doing, meant to do, Hudson wouldn't be responsible for just letting him die. She didn't think he was a bad man, she couldn't judge him because he was curious about her and where she came from and what she was. Hudson knew that there were plenty of people who would likely react in the same manner - she doubted he really meant to hurt her, he just wanted to know. His other actions. well, they were the wrong decisions surely, but that didn't mean Dr. Hamilton should die for his crimes. No one should.
"Lana, I have to help him!" Hudson argued.
Unfortunately, the moment she tried to move from her friend's side to get to the scientist, she immediately felt the violent reaction from her body to the meteorite in his system. She stumbled, almost falling once more before Lana caught her. Their gazes met and Hudson tried to silently communicate how important this was to her. They had to try to save him.
Finally nodding, Lana pulled away from Hudson and attempted to approach Dr. Hamilton but the shaking of his body only became more violent. If she made any attempt to touch him, she could have been seriously injured. Glancing over at Hudson, she waited for some instruction but none was forthcoming. Turning her gaze back to the scientist, she stared in confusion as the shaking came to an abrupt halt, his body slumping to the ground, unmoving.
Lifting her eyes back to Hudson, Lana shook her head. "It's too late. I think he's dead." She walked back over to her friend, slipping her arm around her waist and tugging her away from all of the green liquid. "Come on. We better get the ship out of here. Then we can try to take him to the hospital or something."
Hudson swallowed, knowing there was nothing more to be done. Lana was right - they needed to clean up what evidence regarding her origins was laying about before they took Dr. Hamilton to the hospital. To do otherwise, no matter how much her conscience warred with her, would be much too dangerous.
***
Keeping track of a blind man wasn't as easy as one would think it to be, especially when that blind man happened to be Lionel Luthor. Even though Lex constantly assured himself that his father's disability granted him a minor level of security, he still couldn't help but feel a slight amount of panic whenever Lionel came up missing. He always checked the study first, expecting to walk in and find his father going through the files on his computer or the paperwork in the cabinet. It was ridiculous, he knew, but having his father in the same house for the past few days had done little more than raise Lex's paranoia about ten notches.
Of course, it never helped when Lex discovered that his concern about his father being up to no good stood grounded in fact. When Dr. Hamilton stopped by the mansion earlier that week so that Lex could dismiss him from his work, Lex believed it to be the last he would see or hear from the man. After all, he'd served his purpose and was clearly more of a liability to keep around with his emerging illness than an asset. The man's sudden violence, along with his near-manic determination to locate the octagonal disc, was certainly enough to set Lex on edge.
But standing there in the doorway, watching as his father worked over some of Hamilton's notes, a computerized voice droning on with the information contained in the papers as he moved the device over them, Lex realized Hamilton wasn't going anywhere.
"Hamilton reports finding large concentrations of meteor fragments spread over a large area south of County Highway 17. These fragment vary in circumference from 24 microns to 562 millimetres."
"Interesting reading, Dad?" Lex drawled, pushing off from the doorway to step into the room.
"Lex." Lionel glanced up in surprise. "I didn't hear you come in."
"I'm surprised." He was also slightly amused. Being able to surprise his father and catch him off guard was something Lex always strove for. "Dr. Roland says he's noticed a marked improvement in your other senses since you lost your sight."
Lionel glanced to the side sharply at Lex's comment. "You spoke to Roland?"
Nodding, Lex approached his father, frowning down at him as he replied, "You can imagine my surprise when he told me how worried he was that you'd gone AWOL. You've missed your last several physical therapy sessions. In fact, he says the worst thing for you right now is to be away from your care providers."
"Do you have any idea how degrading it is to be constantly poked and prodded by occupational therapists? How demeaning it is to be told by a Braille instructor, "One day, one day, all this will feel natural"?" Lionel demanded angrily. "You want the truth, Lex? I was tired of being treated like an object, an invalid. I had to get away from that."
Lex wasn't going to fall for the guilt trip again. "So you decided a couple days of Oedipal mano a mano would make you feel better?"
Frowning, Lionel told his son, "Your analogy is apt but flawed, Lex. Blind Oedipus was the son, not the father." Grasping his cane, he moved to stand. "I'll go back to Metropolis."
As much as Lex fought it, the guilt still took over. It was possible that he was paranoid, that he'd spent so much of his life on the defensive with his father, that he really didn't know any other way to be. What if Lionel was really attempting to make peace between them? To make up for so much lost time that they could have spent as a real father and son?
Okay, so Lex wasn't quite that naïve. His father was always up to something, disability or not. The question was, what?
Glancing down at the papers scattered across the table, Lex's gaze narrowed a little as he wondered what caused his father's interest in Hamilton. Had Hamilton approached him after Lex sent the man away? Lifting his eyes back to his father, Lex asked, "So, uh, your sudden interest in Dr. Hamilton was really just a coincidence?"
Lionel turned toward his son. "I admit I find his work intriguing."
"He's sick, possibly delusional," Lex pointed out.
"Never underestimate the value of eccentrics and lunatics, Lex. Every Arthur needs his Merlin," Lionel informed him with amusement. After a slight pause, he added, "Hamilton said that he found some sort of. disk and that you had it."
"He's mistaken."
What was it about the disc that made Hamilton want it so badly? Yes, Lex was upset when he lost it but mostly because it was a mystery to him - one that would never be solved once it disappeared. But with the way that Hamilton was behaving in his need to find it caused Lex to wonder if the disc's purpose hadn't finally been solved.
"Oh?" Lionel shrugged. "Even so, I think it may have been a bit rash to terminate his contract."
Frowning, Lex eyed his father for a long moment before asking, "Why do you say that?"
Lionel smirked. "Have you taken a look in the good doctor's barn lately?"
Gaze narrowing, Lex dropped his gaze to the floor, wondering what he was driving at. "No. I haven't had the. pleasure."
Moving forward, cane stretched out before him, Lionel drew closer to his son. "I was there, Lex. I couldn't see but. I touched it. And I could tell - it was different. Not of this earth."
"What was?"
"The ship."
Lex was suddenly thankful for his father's blindness because he was certain he'd been unable to keep the surprise from his expression.
A ship. The ship he'd been searching for. The one Eddie Cole had seen come down the day of the meteor shower. The same one that might have something to do with the octagonal disc found in the field.
Carefully schooling his voice to the tone of boredom and disbelief, Lex asked, "How can you be so sure? I already said the man is delusional."
"How can you be so sure?" Lionel countered.
Lex's frown deepened.
"Why don't we go for a ride, Lex?" His father suggested.
"The helicopter will be here soon to take you back to Metropolis," he pointed out, glancing at his watch. A half hour to go. Then Lex would be left once more in solitude, peace, no longer carefully censoring everything he said and did.
Lionel waved a hand dismissively. "It can wait. Take me to Hamilton's, Lex. I'll show you - you can see for yourself."
Sighing, Lex took his father's outstretched arm and led him through the room toward the door to the garage. He knew Lionel wouldn't let this go. And there would be nothing that Lex could think to say to dissuade him. That angered him to no end - to think that his father was now sniffing around a mystery that belonged solely to Lex. After all, if he'd gone to his father and told him he believed a spaceship might have landed the day of the meteor shower, and that he once had a disc that was formed of materials not found on earth, Lionel would have deemed him insane. He would have laughed, told Lex how naïve and foolish he was, that he would fall for anything. But when someone else comes to Lionel with the same information. well, suddenly he'll take a stranger's word on faith. It didn't matter if Hamilton was telling the truth - that he actually found the spaceship. What mattered was that all of it - every bit of information, every twinge of interest, every answer - belonged to Lex. Not Lionel.
The drive to the south end of town, where Dr. Hamilton's property was located, was silent. Lex was thankful for that. His father sat beside him in the Jaguar, lost deeply in thought, leaving Lex to his own thoughts and concerns. If there really was a ship sitting in Hamilton's shed, complications would arise. Lionel would want a hand in it - he would want to take over the research and Lex would be left with nothing. Then again, if there really wasn't a spaceship, likely Lex would be blamed for getting involved with Hamilton at all, and his father wouldn't waste a moment in telling him what a worthless son he truly was.
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Lex flashed his father a quick glare as he pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. He wished he'd just forced the old man onto the helicopter and sent him on his way. Then he could have investigated on his own. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to work out that way and he told himself to calm down, to bury his emotions as he climbed out of the car.
Helping his father forward toward the shed, Lex glanced around the property intently. The place looked deserted - recently deserted. Looking down at the dirt beneath their feet as they reached the shed, he noticed different sets of shoe prints scattered in several directions. Brow furrowed, Lex raised his gaze to the door that hung off of its hinges, a section near the knob splintered into pieces. Slowly, he led his father inside the building, expression growing more perplexed as he gazed around at the destruction within. Overturned tables, shattered bottles, a chair with ropes laying beside it.
No ship, though.
"Does it look anything like Hamilton's description -- what he says it was?" Lionel asked, unseeing gaze moving about the room, as if the blindness might suddenly disappear.
Lex shook his head. "There's nothing here, Dad." He didn't feel it was necessary to tell his father that it appeared as if something might have been there, and simply wasn't any longer.
"Well. he must have moved it," Lionel commented stubbornly. "Or someone took it."
Lex was more than willing to believe the latter. "Come on." He tugged on his father's arm, attempting to move him toward the door. "The helicopter's waiting."
"No, no," his father argued, pulling back. "I'm not going back to Metropolis. Not just yet."
Damn. Lex glanced back around the shed. "What about your treatment?" He asked, knowing that the physical therapy meant nothing in contrast to a mystery. There were some traits all Luthor's shared.
Lionel smirked with his reply, "I'm afraid those charming physical therapists will just have to come to me."
"I hope you're not staying because of a sudden interest in alien spacecrafts." No matter how his father answered, Lex knew it was an idle hope.
"Of course not. I'm staying because I want to spend more quality time with my only son."
Lex started when his father reached out, searching for his face, touching it. As much as he wanted to pull away - had schooled himself in doing so for years - Lex found his eyes closing at the feel of his father's fingers on his skin. It had been so long since he'd received anything that even remotely hinted at caring from his father, and he couldn't help but take just a moment to lose himself in it. This act between them wouldn't last long - as much as Lex wanted to believe in his father's motives, he just couldn't expose himself that much to do so. It was dangerous. For years he'd worked to earn Lionel's love, his approval, his pride, but time and again he'd failed, and suffered painful humiliation in the process. That wasn't going to happen again. The only reason his father was staying, the only reason he was pretending to care for Lex, was because he was interested in Hamilton's research.
Research that Lex funded.
Grabbing his father's hand, he pulled it away from his face and took Lionel's arm once more, leading him toward the door. "Good. Because this could all be a hoax."
If he wanted to keep the information gleaned from Dr. Hamilton to himself, he was going to have to somehow convince his father that it was all make- believe.
"Hoax or not, I'm not the only one who's suddenly interested in it." Lionel smirked.
Beside him, Lex blanched and cast a quick look at his father.
Dammit.
***
"So, does it do anything?"
Lana glanced over at the three Kents with her question before returning her gaze to the ship that was now safely ensconced back in the storm cellar. It was still unbelievable to her - even with everything she'd witnessed for herself, from her rescue from Dr. Hamilton to Hudson carrying the ship out of the shed as they waited for Jonathan to pick them up.
Martha smiled and shook her head as she replied, "We've always hoped we'd find some answers inside about Hudson and where she's from, but we haven't been able to get it open."
Nodding, Lana stared at the ship a moment longer before returning her gaze to Hudson. So amazing - to think that she came in that tiny ship. Travelled who knew how far all by herself, only to land safely here in Smallville. And no one but those gathered in the storm cellar knew.
Lana reached out and touched her friend's arm. "H.C., look... I know I reacted badly when all this started. But after what happened to Hamilton. " She trailed off, squeezing the arm beneath her hand gently. "I realize why you never told me and I'm sorry."
"You had good reason to be upset, Lana," Hudson replied with a slight shrug. "You were one of those whose life was most affected by my arrival."
She still felt as if she was coming to terms with how deeply the meteor shower changed her life from what it should have been. While Lana knew she didn't blame Hudson, she found herself wondering what life would have been like if her friend hadn't arrived here. Was that selfish and cruel of her?
"There's still one thing I'm curious about," she commented, frowning as she considered the day's events. "Dr. Hamilton tried to kill me, and he could've told the whole world about you, but. you still tried to save him. Why?"
Smiling a little, Hudson told her, "Well, Lana, I couldn't let you die to protect my secret, and I can't let anyone else die either." She worried her lower lip a moment before adding, "No matter who they are."
Lana smiled in understanding. "It's not easy being you. Is it?"
Dropping her gaze to the ground, Hudson toed the dirt with her boot. "Some days are easier than others, I guess."
"Lana... I'm proud of you," Jonathan commented, stepping between the two girls to focus his attention on her. "But I do hope you realize what a tremendous responsibility knowing this secret is." He gazed at her intently for a long moment. "And believe me, it's not going to get any easier."
"That's my dad's way of saying welcome to the family," Hudson told her.
Martha laughed while Lana smiled at the family. She watched as Jonathan took Martha's hand and led her out of the cellar, discussing dinner. Turning back to her friend, she waited until Hudson looked away from the ship before catching her gaze. She hesitated only a moment, thinking carefully over the words that she wanted to say to make Hudson understand how much knowing the truth meant to her, how much their friendship meant to her.
"It's all a little unreal, you know?" She commented softly, staring up at her friend. "I mean, I've always known there was something about you, something that made you stand out from everyone else and yet, you always tried so hard to hide it. I never understood that, and maybe, for a long time, I resented it - "
"Lana - "
"No, H.C. Let me finish." She waited until Hudson nodded before she continued, "The day of the meteor shower. It was a tragic day for many of us. But it was a glorious day for your parents. Not only did they finally have the child they always wanted - they got you. We all did." She waved her hand, as if encompassing the town outside of the cellar walls. "And that makes knowing what happened to my parents, to others. just a little easier to accept." Reaching out, Lana took Hudson's hand in hers. "Everything about you, Hudson Kent, is amazing. And I. I feel as if I'm special, too, just because I know you. Just because I can call you my friend."
Hudson lowered her gaze once more, a bright blush coloring her cheeks. "Thank you, Lana. I. That means a lot to me."
"It means a lot to me that you trust me with your secret." She let go of her friend's hand, turning to follow her as they made their way up the steps and out of the cellar. Brow furrowing, Lana couldn't help but ask, "Have you. ever wanted to tell Lex?"
Hesitating in her steps a little, Hudson waited until Lana was walking beside her before nodding. "Every day since the day we met," she answered, wrapping her arms around her waist. "I wake up every morning and think 'Today's the day I'm going to tell him'. And then. "
"And then?"
"I don't know." Hudson stopped, glancing down the driveway. "I get scared, I hesitate, I find myself thinking up every reason not to tell him."
"Don't you trust him?"
Hudson looked at Lana quickly. "Yes. Yes, I do. I trust him to keep my secret and I trust him to protect me. And that's the problem. You've seen for yourself how dangerous it can be. Lana, you have no idea how many people who've known the truth have already died or been hurt. I know Lex. I know how tenacious he can be." She paused, her gaze sad. "And I know how dangerous some of the people are that he associates with. Telling Lex couldn't just possibly endanger my life, it would endanger his and my parents and. " She trailed off and shook her head. "I want to tell him. I wish I could tell him. But I just. I can't."
"It's all right."
Lana moved forward to hug her friend. It was hard enough to be truthful with someone you love about simple things like not agreeing with them or not liking their friends. Hudson's secrets were so much deeper than that and Lex. well, he wasn't your average guy. Lana didn't know him all that well, but she knew enough to know that he wouldn't just exclaim how cool her being an alien was and then grab a beer out of the fridge and sit down to watch the game. He'd want to be in the midst of Hudson's secret, he'd want it all, and he was simply too public a person for someone outside the situation not to learn the truth.
"Maybe someday it'll be easier," Lana suggested, pulling back to smile up at Hudson. "Maybe someday you can tell him."
Hudson nodded, and returned the smile with a tentative one of her own. "Yeah. Maybe. Someday."
***
Hudson stood outside the entrance to the castle kitchen, worrying her lower lip as she stared at it. It had been almost a month since her last delivery and she was beyond nervous about opening the door. She still hadn't admitted to her parents about Dodd seeing the bullet hit her, and she hadn't spoken to him since that night. So far, no government agents had shown up on her doorstep with scalpels in hand, but that didn't mean it would never happen. Hudson trusted Dodd but she was quickly learning that it was impossible to determine how people were going to react to the truth about her. The recent events with Lana, more than anything, taught her to be cautious.
Taking a deep breath, Hudson reached out and turned the knob, pushing the door open and stepping inside. "Hello?" She peered around the counter to see Dodd at the sink, peeling potatoes.
He looked up at her, his gaze frank and assessing for a long moment, before greeting her with a slight inclination of his head. "Miss Kent. I thought your mother was making the deliveries."
"Oh, that was just. temporary." Hudson shrugged as she set the box down onto the countertop. "I'm back to doing it now."
Dodd nodded. He wiped his hands on a dish towel then moved over to begin digging through the box, inspecting each piece of fruit and produce that sat inside. Silence stretched on through the room as Hudson waited for the cook to speak. She tapped her fingers against the countertop, watching Dodd as he worked his way through the produce, and she searched for any sign that he was behaving differently than usual.
Finally frustrated with her mounting tension, she commented, "So, Lionel Luthor is here visiting."
"Hmmm."
"Lex came by the other day, seeking refuge or something." Hudson smiled.
Dodd glanced at her but didn't comment. His gaze was steady, intent.
She shifted beneath his eyes, looking away for a moment as she contemplated a way to approach the topic of Desiree. "Look, Dodd, about Desiree - "
"Men are weak when it comes to beautiful women," he interrupted, still watching her. "All women have power over us - they don't need meteors." His gaze swept over her with that statement, from head to foot.
Hudson frowned. What did he mean by that? "I'm not blaming anyone for anything that happened. Well, anyone beyond Desiree." She pushed her hair back off her forehead, scratching her scalp for a moment. "What I meant was. well, that night. after the fire in the Talon - "
"When you look at me, Miss Kent, what do you see?"
She was taken aback by his question. Frown growing, she worried her lower lip before commenting, "I don't understand."
"Is that your answer? Or a question?"
"Both, I guess." She kicked at the floor, scuffing the tile with the edge of her boot.
"Then it is my answer as well." Dodd turned back to the produce and he began storing it away in the refrigerator.
Hudson remained silent, mulling over his words. Even Lex wasn't that cryptic. She pressed her fingers into the pockets of her jeans and leaned back against the counter. Something about this wasn't right. "But, don't you want to know?"
He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Do you?"
"Yes."
"And yet, you never ask."
"Well, I. " She trailed off, wondering about her reluctance to ask what Dodd really did for Lex and where he came from. Maybe she preferred the mystery and her own imagination to whatever the truth could be. "I just don't want to."
A ghost of a smile appeared on Dodd's face as he turned to face her. "You'll have to do better than that, Miss Kent."
She didn't like this conversation. It made her uncomfortable. A little angrily she snapped, "Well, as my friend, you should tell me. I shouldn't have to ask."
"Plausible deniability." He folded his arms over his chest and stared at her.
"That's a feeble excuse."
"Is it?" Dodd moved closer to her, his voice dropping an octave. "We all have secrets, Miss Kent. For some of us, those secrets are more closely guarded than others. They have to be. Not only for our own safety but the safety of those around us. Lex doesn't know everything about me and I like to keep it that way - it keeps him safe. It's my job to keep him safe." He watched her intently a moment before asking, "Why do you lie to him?"
"I don't - " She cut herself off, reddened, and looked away.
Dodd watched her a few moments longer before nodding and turning back to his work. "Just remember, Hudson Kent, that the longer you guard your secrets, the closer you keep them to yourself, the lonelier your life becomes."
She raised her head. "Is your life lonely?"
"Who's lonely?"
Hudson started at Lex's voice, spinning around to cast him a guilty expression as he stood in the doorway, glancing between her and Dodd. "Ummmm. "
Lex 's brow furrowed briefly before moving forward. "Hudson, I thought your mother was making the deliveries now."
"That just. " Because I was too afraid to face you. "No. I mean, I'm doing it again." She glanced over at Dodd who was pretending to ignore them both.
Stopping beside her, Lex flashed Hudson a quick, tiny smile, his stance suggesting that he was just as uncomfortable at the moment as she was. They looked at one another, traded small smiles and both looked away again. This went on for the next few minutes until Dodd finally questioned:
"You have more deliveries to make, Miss Kent?"
"Huh?" Hudson blinked at the reminder, wondering if Dodd was just trying to get rid of her. She nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do. I'd better get out of here before Mrs. Winfrey wonders if I ran off with her peaches. "
"I'll walk you out," Lex offered, moving toward the back door and holding it open for her.
"Oh. Okay." Flashing him a smile as she passed by, Hudson stepped out into the sunlight, squinting briefly at the sky before shading her eyes and looking back at Lex as he closed the door and moved up beside her. "So, ummm, how're things going with your dad?"
Lex shrugged, hands slipping into his pockets as he walked. "He's decided to stay for an interminable amount of time. On the one hand, I'm this close to tossing him out the door. And on the other. "
"You feel responsible for him."
"Yes." He glanced over at her quickly. "I still can't help but think that if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be blind."
"Lex." Hudson laid her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. "It's not your fault. None of it. You can't keep blaming yourself."
They stopped beside her family's pickup. Lex brought his eyes to hers. "Unfortunately, my greatest talent seems to lie in making the lives of those around me miserable."
Hudson swallowed at his words and shook her head. "No, Lex, that isn't. "
She sighed and looked away toward the castle. She realized she was still holding on to his arm and didn't bother to let go. Bringing her gaze back to his, she tugged on his wrist, pulling his hand from his pocket and threading her fingers through his.
"Lex, I'm sure that isn't true for your dad. And. and I know it isn't true for me."
Pursing his lips, Lex looked down at their hands, watching as Hudson's thumb moved over his skin in small circles. He shrugged his shoulders lightly. "I wish I could believe that."
Leaning in to him, Hudson kissed his cheek gently. She tried not to allow her thoughts to linger on how good he smelled or how soft his skin was or how easy it would be to just move a few inches and kiss his mouth instead. "Believe it," she told him before pulling back.
She started toward the truck but Lex still held her hand, his grip tightening. At the slight squeeze, she glanced back at him, her other hand on the door. "Hudson, I. " Lex frowned, as if searching for words to say. "What would happen if I called tonight? Or sometime?"
Hudson smiled. "Well, I guess I'd have to take the call, huh?"
Slowly, Lex returned her smile. "Yeah. I guess you would."
Hudson couldn't help but think it was ridiculous really, how they just stood there, holding hands, smiling at one another, not saying another damn thing. She'd been terrified this week, when she thought she was going to lose Lana's friendship because of what she was, because of the truth. And that only served to remind her how much she missed Lex, how much it hurt to push him away, and how scared she was that someday she might lose him completely. Dodd was right - the longer you kept your secrets, the closer you held them to you, the more difficult it became to admit to them, the more alone you became. Now that Lana knew the truth, Hudson had someone else she could confide in. But when would that no longer be enough?
"I need to go." She slipped her hand from his and pulled the door open, climbing into the cab.
Lex moved up beside the truck, closing the door behind her as she rolled down the window. He leaned in, looked up at her. "Hudson, I. " He trailed off.
"I know." Reaching out, Hudson touched his cheek and smiled. She knew he was sorry. And she knew that he loved her. And she knew he wouldn't say either. "I'll talk to you later."
Nodding, Lex took a step back from the truck as Hudson started the engine and pulled out of the drive. Glancing into the rearview mirror, she noticed that Lex stood there watching her as she drove away. And for the briefest moment, she was certain that everything was going to work out in the end.
