PIECES

Jonathan

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me, old girl."

Sitting down on the cool floor of the barn beside the tractor, I finally give up on any help arriving from either my daughter or wife. Frowning a little at the rusted bolts, I reach into the toolbox for a couple of wrenches and begin working at loosening them. Of course, if Hudson were here, she would have had the bolts off already, asking me if I would prefer she just speed through the entire process on her own. I wouldn't say yes – there are moments when farm work can be relaxing, and it's doubly so when done with my daughter at my side, sharing some family time. There is so little of that lately, now that she's growing up.

And dating.

Dating a man who is six years older than her, far more experienced and comes from a less than ideal upbringing.

People are under the mistaken impression that I hate Lex Luthor. I don't. I hate the name Luthor and the behavior it evokes in others. I hate what it stands for. And I fear what trouble that name can bring to my daughter and my family. I've seen through time that Lex cares for Hudson, that he may even love her in his way, and it's only this which has convinced me to allow this relationship to continue. But time and again, I've been forced to reconsider my leniency. Unfortunately, Martha is right – if we were to push, make demands, Hudson would only pull away from us. She'd give in to that foolish teenage notion that your first love is your only love, and she would never trust us again. I can't let it come to that, but I don't know what else I can do.

Just before Christmas, we allowed Hudson to go to Metropolis for a weekend with Lex. Martha believed she needed time away after Rianne's death, and while I didn't agree that time alone with Lex in the city was the right path, there was no other recourse for me but to agree. I know my daughter can take care of herself but in Lex's world, she is subjected to people and circumstances that she can't control. In this instance, I was right in my judgment. The Sunday morning edition of the Daily Planet posted a picture of Hudson and Lex at some club, discussing their activities and my daughter in the society column like she was some cheap –

I was furious. Hudson blew me off, as teenagers tend to do, telling me I was overreacting and nothing happened and so what if her picture was in the paper? It took Martha and me to point out that dating someone like Lex Luthor placed her in the spotlight, and now all of the Roger Nixon's of Metropolis would know where to look for her, where to find her. To watch her. Hudson had paled with our words, instantly leading me to believe that more happened that weekend than she shared with us. When I questioned her about it, she simply shook her head and quickly hurried out to do her chores. I hate to think that our daughter is keeping things from us, and can only assume that she's developed that behavior from her time spent with Lex.

When he joined us for Christmas, I took him aside to discuss the picture in the paper. I held back, though what I really wanted to do was forbid him from seeing Hudson again. It feels too much like I'm losing control of my family – like I've lost control ever since the day Hudson saved Lex's life on the bridge. Not that she shouldn't have done so – I just find myself wishing he had never been sent to Smallville. That they had never met.

First it was Hudson. Now my wife has defected to the Luthor side. When she told me she had taken the job as Lionel's assistant, I was certain it was only a momentary interest. Surely Martha would come to her senses, see what kind of man she was working for, realize that our family was more important than LuthorCorp. Instead, Hudson's been forced to cook more and more meals – and, as much as I love my daughter, I've been eating more and more peanut butter sandwiches. I'm left doing chores that I've always been used to my wife helping me out with, or at least keeping me company on.

Hell, it's not like I begrudge her the desire to be something more than wife and mother, but it seems like that used to be enough for her, and suddenly it isn't. She claims it's to help with the farm, to help save money for Hudson's college fund, except that it's difficult not to notice that a lot of it seems to be for selfish reasons. I know Martha was meant for more than this farm; I'm damn lucky to have her, to have her love. She was raised to take a place at her father's side in his law firm, to be a lot more than a homemaker. But I didn't exactly club her over the head and drag her off to my farm, making her my wife at gunpoint. Martha needs to be here to help with Hudson's development. Our daughter is slipping away from us and I don't think my wife is here enough to notice anymore.

So here I sit by myself while my wife and daughter are off bringing our family ever closer to the Luthors.

Sighing with frustration at both my family's situation and the damn bolts that refuse to loosen, I throw my weight a little harder against the wrench. "Ah, come on. Come on, you!"

Paying little attention to the equipment in front of me, I lose my patience and give the wrench a hard yank. The jack tilts and falls from beneath the tractor, the corner of which falls on me before I can react and pull away. A deep, sharp pain throbs through my thigh, causing me to cry out. I attempt to lift the tractor just enough to pull away but it won't budge, the weight and my position beneath it making it impossible to free myself.

Faintly catching the sound of Hudson's voice from somewhere near the house, I yell out to her, "Hudson! Hudson!"

"Dad?"

Gritting my teeth, I dig my fingers into the ground beneath me in an attempt to fight the pain. I look up to see Hudson appear at my side.

"Dad!"

Quickly, she lifts the tractor into the air and I roll away from it, wincing and groaning at the pain from my action. I hear the tractor hit the floor once more and then my daughter is kneeling beside me, her expression reflecting her concern.

"I can't move my leg," I tell her, attempting to push myself up from the ground.

Her gaze narrows for just a moment as she focuses it over my leg, and a frown quickly follows. "It's broken," she informs me, eyes returning to mine. "Hold on."

I note the obvious indecision as Hudson climbs to her feet, the impatience on her face. The desire is in her to simply scoop me into her arms like a child and speed her way to the hospital. But it's daylight outside, and there have been far too many close calls recently. Sighing, her decision made, Hudson reaches beneath my arms and carefully helps me up. To any casual observer, it would appear that I'm helping to carry my own weight, when the truth is, my good leg isn't actually touching the ground. I fight the desire to tell her I can make it on my own, and allow Hudson to carry me to the truck.

When we get to the hospital, Hudson takes care of the paperwork while I'm wheeled into the elevator and up a few floors to x-ray. After it's determined that I have indeed broken my leg – sometimes I wonder what kind of doctor Hudson could make – I'm shuffled into a room where various nurses move in and out, preparing for my cast. I wince at the destruction of a good pair of jeans, and wonder where my wife is.

"Mr. Kent?"

I glance up to see an attractive woman enter the room, chart in hand.

"I'm Dr. Helen Bryce."

Shaking her outstretched hand, I force a smile. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Bryce. I take it you're new to Smallville?"

She nods, gaze moving back to the information she's holding. "I just started here last week, actually." Pausing, she pulls out the x-ray, looking it over for a moment before setting it to the side. "It says here your leg was trapped under a tractor? Farm work seems to be the number one cause of injuries around here."

"Yes, well, nothing done right is easy," I comment, wincing as she begins to look over my leg.

"Dad?"

Looking around the doctor, I see Hudson peering her head into the room, eyes wide. "Yeah, honey?"

"Umm, I couldn't get a hold of mom. I left a message with her voicemail. And no one is answering at the mansion."

Of course not, Lionel probably has her off in the wilds of Metropolis.

Frowning at the thought, I wave Hudson into the room. "Doctor Bryce, this is my daughter, Hudson."

They shake hands, though Hudson seems less than attentive at the moment.

"You're the one who brought your father in?" The doctor asks.

Hudson nods, shifting slightly in discomfort. I know what she's thinking – if she'd been there, this wouldn't have happened. But I'm not going to be the one to voice those thoughts. Especially not when her mother was the one who had promised to be there.

"Well, don't worry. We're going to set the leg and get a cast on him, and your dad will be as good as new. Mr. Kent, I'll be right back and we'll get you taken care of."

"Thank you, doctor." I give her a smile as she heads out the door. Turning my gaze back to Hudson, I tell her, "Go ahead and stay in the waiting room. You heard the doctor. She said I'd be fine."

"Dad – "

"Go on, Hudson," I repeat more firmly. If we get into this discussion now, I know I'll lose my temper and say things I'll end up regretting.

"Okay. I'll just... uh... try to get a hold of mom." She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and hurries out the door.

A little over half an hour later, after being poked and prodded and tossed this way and that while they worked on my leg, Hudson returns to the room where she watches quietly as Dr. Bryce looks over my cast. I can't erase the frown I'm wearing, knowing how difficult this is going to make getting to everything that needs to be done around the farm. While I know Hudson will do what she can, Martha has become another matter. I don't think even this will be enough to get her to leave her job with Lionel Luthor.

"So are you in high school, Hudson?" Doctor Bryce asks, glancing over her shoulder at my daughter.

Hudson nods, getting up from the chair she is sitting in to pace along the wall. The room seems too small for her. My little girl.

"Yes. I'm a sophomore."

"Really? You seem older. At least a senior."

Beaming at that, Hudson glances over at me, as if I should acknowledge her adulthood or something. When my expression doesn't change, her smile fades slightly and she turns her attention back to the doctor.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" The woman asks with the hint of a smile, as if this is some secret discussion happening between two girls at a slumber party. I try not to roll my eyes.

"Oh, yes! He's – " Hudson cuts herself off, looking over at me again, obviously realizing this is not the conversation to be having at the moment. Swallowing, she looks back over at Doctor Bryce. She neatly changes the subject. "Is he going to be all right, doctor?"

"I don't see him square dancing in the near term," she replies with a smile as she glances back over at Hudson again. "But if he stays off the leg, it should heal fine."

Stay off the leg? The woman has obviously never run a farm before!

I open my mouth to ask just how long she thinks I'm going to be laid up with this thing, when the door to the room opens and my wife hurries in, her face drawn in concern.

"Oh, my God, Jonathan.... "

She hurries to my side, arms out to hug me and I can't stop the instant reaction to flinch away from her when it happens. "Martha, I... "

Immediately feeling contrite for my behavior, I shrug the anger aside and assure her, "I'm going to be fine."

"His doctor agrees," Doctor Bryce responds with a smile aimed at both of us.

Grabbing my chart, she moves toward the door, telling me, "As soon as I can find you a pair of crutches, you're good to go."

"Thank you."

The moment she exist the room Hudson rounds on her mother. "Mom, where have you been?" She demands, obviously upset. "I left you a message an hour ago."

"I was in a closed door teleconference between Lionel and the LuthorCorp board." She looks to each of us apologetically as she explains. Her eyes turn to me, and there's the slightest amount of censure in her tone, "I wish you had waited for me."

"I did wait for you." I snap, losing my patience. "I waited over an hour for you."

"Well, I'm sorry..." She blinks at me a moment, brow drawn together. It's an expression I'm more used to seeing on our daughter when she is attempting to explain her actions. "I tried to call, but the machine was on."

And somehow that's my fault. As if I should be waiting around by the phone to find out when my wife is coming home. She's never so complacent when it comes to meeting Lionel at an appointed time and place.

Sighing, I realize this isn't the place to argue about it and wave my hand toward the door. "Well, what's done is done. I would just really like to get out of here, now. Please."

Martha nods in agreement beside me, and moves to help me to my feet.

"I'll grab your stuff," Hudson calls out, slipping behind us to pick up my coat and discarded sock and boot.

Beside me, Martha takes my hand. "I'm really sorry," she whispers, face soft, beautiful blue eyes glittering.

I nod. "I know."

I know. And that's what makes all of this so damned difficult.

Chloe

ReporterGrrl's Livejournal

Subject: Private Entry 10 Jan 2003 l 01:32PM

Mood: Contemplative

I love Hudson to death, but sometimes I swear I just want to grab her and shake her and maybe slap some sense into her. I mean, there are times when you're with her, she's so there; you know she's paying attention to everything you say and that she's genuinely enjoying her time with you. But then... well, at other times it's like she really has to be somewhere else, or wants to be somewhere else... or maybe she is somewhere else. Mentally, I mean. Like those increasingly numerous moments when she shows up late to a study date or just a girl's night out, and you ask her where she's been, and didn't she remember? And Hudson just stands there, blinking at you, like she hasn't a clue what you're talking about. Here she is, a straight A student, and I swear that there are days you could ask her what 22 is, and she wouldn't know the answer.


Or maybe I'm just misinterpreting things.

I look at Hudson and I can't help but be envious of her life. Aside from the fact that she's gorgeous – and doesn't know it – she has this idyllic home life that most people I know would kill for it. And I don't think she sees that. Sure, she's adopted and doesn't know who her biological parents are but she has the Kents, two people who love her to distraction. She eats three full meals a day, all cooked lovingly by her mother, and her father scowls appropriately whenever she's wearing something that hasn't been approved by the softer side of Sears. I think only the Cleavers are one up on the Kents, and that's just because Beaver had an older brother to look out for him.

Hudson doesn't get any of that, though. She walks around like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, like no one understands what she's going through and she bears burdens that few have suffered. And I get that, I do, because we're teenagers and I guess everything going on inside of us is all kind of wonky for the time being. But it's not like she's the only one, and maybe things wouldn't be so rough if she just shared them once and a while. I don't know. It's like, Hudson used to talk to me. We'd stay up until two in the morning, talking on the phone, even on school nights, and we'd talk about so many things. We'd share dreams for the future, crushes, argue for hours as to whether Mulder or Scully was the better character. Lately, though, we just don't talk. About anything, really. Unless it's an argument. We seem to do that a lot recently.

And the problem is that I don't think Hudson realizes it. I don't think she sees. First she starts becoming best buddies with Lana, and then she's dating Lex Luthor and suddenly none of her other friends matter. Pete blames Lex, says he's brainwashed her. I don't know what to believe.

The weirdest part of all of it is, Lana and I are growing closer now. I mean, I can actually consider her a friend and talk to her and stuff. I think she's starting to feel a little abandoned by Hudson lately as well. We haven't really talked about it... well, we did once. At the time, Lana was very sympathetic toward Hudson. She kept telling me that Hudson was going through a lot with the farm and her parents and Lex and if we just gave her some time and some space, that she'd come back around to us. I didn't argue. Sometimes I think Lana looks up to Hudson far too much – and I really never thought I'd believe something like that! But she does. I don't know if it's some kind of hero worship, or something else entirely. Lana doesn't really like to talk to me about Hudson, though she will talk about almost anything else.

Especially lately. Whitney came out a few weekends ago to visit home, brought a few of his classmates from college. And then proceeded to tell Lana that he was dumping her. I think it was a real blow to the girl's ego. She kind of threw herself into the Talon after that, working and going to school and doing little else. I tried to talk to her about it, but she put on that false smile and acted as if it really didn't matter much. Lana does that sometimes, puts on a brave face for the rest of us. But you know it does matter, because at other times it's all she can talk about. Unfortunately, I think she really wanted to talk to Hudson about it, and Hudson seems to be off in her own little world lately.

I don't know why I'm typing all of this out. I mean, it's a private entry and no one is ever going to see it, but it sure makes my head feel a little clearer. Maybe someday I'll be able to make sense of it all or something.

Better cut this short. I need to finish this article on Ian. He's soooo cute! And he's actually interested in me! Me – over Lana!! And, for once, he's not some freak out to kill me or anything. He's smart and driven and I haven't been this excited over anyone since... well, Justin. But I don't really want to talk about him...

At the sound of a knock on the door, I glance up to see Hudson looking in around the door. "Chloe?"

I turn my attention back to the screen. "Yeah?"

"Hey, you got a second?"

"Sure."

Hudson wanders in to the office, dressed in characteristic flannel and denim, heavy jacket thrown over her arm. I glance down to see the usual too worn work boots that are still slightly wet from the snow outside. She could really turn some heads if she ever had any fashion sense. Sometimes I wonder if Lex actually likes the flannel or just puts up with it because... well, it's Hudson.

She places her backpack on the desk, a tear in the corner where I can see the binding of her history book peeking through. There's a tag attached to the zipper that Lana made for her – it's in pink and silver glitter and says "H.K. L.L.", and it looks completely out of place on the ragged, red book bag. Then again, it just seems to fit in with Hudson, who seems eternally out of place. When I think about it though, I wouldn't want her any other way. I feel her lean over my shoulder, gaze focusing on the article on my computer screen. She smells like the cafeteria – Salisbury steak today – and I can feel the cool air wafting off of her from her apparent walk outside.

Hudson begins reading aloud, "Primed to graduate two years early, Ian Randall is a true academic superstar." She shifts beside me, and then straightens with a snort. "Well, so much for journalistic detachment."

Pushing away from the desk, I jump to my feet and wander over to the opposite table to grab a file. "Believe it or not, not every story has to be Wall of Weird material," I respond quickly before realizing what I'm doing. I shake my head and glance toward the ceiling. "Why am I defending myself?"

"Do you like him?" The question seems to come out of nowhere. Her tone's curious, but I can see the censure in her gaze.

"I don't not like him," I huff. "What is this about, H.C.?"

She shrugs and kicks at the floor with the toe of her boot. It leaves a scuffmark. "Nothing. I just want you to be careful."

There's a hell of a lot more to it than that. I know Hudson, and I know she never brings anything up unless there's something specific on her mind. "Why?"

A deep frown creases her forehead as she looks over at me. It's not the most attractive expression; Hudson's much prettier when she smiles. "Look, I probably shouldn't say anything, but I saw him and Lana in the hallway and they seem pretty... close."

Ah. So that's it.

"Oh, I get it. You just want to make sure that poor little Chloe doesn't get burned... Again," I snap.

"No. Chloe... "She begins to defend.

"You know what, H.C.? Not that it really matters, but Ian already told me that Lana was kind of into him, but he'd rather be with me. He asked me to keep it a secret because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings."

Hudson blinks at me, incredulous. "And you believe that?"

I raise my chin slightly as I look over at her. "You're not the only one who deserves a little happiness in her life, H.C. You're not the only one worthy of having some guy interested in you, who wants to take you out and treat you well and -- "

"Chloe – "

"No, H.C.," I cut her off. "You have Lex. And it seems like you flaunt that fact in my face constantly, and I'm sick of it. I'm not going to let you ruin my chance at having someone in my life just because you want to be the center of attention!"

There's this heavy moment of silence between us where Hudson looks away, her face pinched in thought. I open my mouth to say something but think better of it and quickly close it, waiting to see if she even acknowledges my feelings.

"I didn't know you felt that way," she comments finally.

"Well, it's not like you ever asked now, is it?" I don't want to be sarcastic but it certainly came out that way.

Hudson sighs and glances over at me. "I'm sorry, okay? But it's not like my relationship with Lex is all roses and Ferrari's, you know. I have my problems, too. And maybe I just don't want to see either you, or Lana, get hurt."

I roll my eyes. "You know, that might have been more effective without the Lana clarifier." Grabbing my purse, I add, "One of these days, Hudson, you're going to turn around and realize that you've pushed the people who truly care about you away."

Regretting every word I just said, I quickly turn and stalk toward the door past Hudson. I hear her call out to me but I keep walking, not wanting her to see my embarrassment. I didn't mean to fall apart like that. It's not as if I really feel that way... well, maybe a little. Hudson doesn't really flaunt her relationship with Lex; in fact, she's very low key about it. I understand that she's excited, that this is something different for her, something she never expected to happen to her. And that's great but I think it's caused her to lose sight of everything else – her friends, mainly. I can't help but be a little lonely when all I want to do is hang out with my friend and all she wants to do is spend time with Lex. And it's not like I'm really jealous of Lana, it's just that I miss my friends. I miss how close we used to be.

I miss being her only confidant.

The worst part of it is, I can't stop the nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe, I'm relishing Ian's attention just because it's making Hudson notice that I'm still here. I like it when she's looking out for me, when she shows me that we're still friends, instead of just saying it in passing to assure me. Of course, I don't like that she's dragging Lana into this as well, or insinuating that Ian is anything less than he is. Sometimes I get the feeling that Hudson simply doesn't trust anyone.

I sigh and head out of school.

If this is what growing up is all about, I really don't like it.

Lana

"Tell me what we're doing down here, again?"

Hudson glances back at me, expression all impatient. She's cute when she gets like that. I think sometimes she expects everyone around her to know exactly what she's thinking. Maybe it's easier for her to believe we can read her mind, instead of actually having to voice her thoughts.

"There's something I want to show you, Lana. I want... well, I just need some help in figuring it out, is all."

"Ah." I smile as Hudson huffs and moves ahead of me.

"Be careful of your footing," she calls out over her shoulder. "The ground's a little wonky."

Only Hudson can use a word like 'wonky' and not seem like a complete freak for doing so.

I catch myself quickly, barely refraining from twisting my ankle and decide to take her words to heart. Reaching out, I lay a hand against the cool rock of the cave walls and balance myself as I continue down the slow incline, deeper and deeper underground. Flashlight in my other hand, I keep a look-out for more rocks and dips in the ground beneath my feet, not wanting to deal with the embarrassment of Hudson having to carry me out of here.

The further we delve into the caves, the more dramatic and numerous the drawings on the walls become. I can understand why the Kawatchee people want this land to be preserved; there's obviously quite a bit of history documented here. It worries me, though, that Hudson is becoming so wrapped up in it all. It's one thing to want to preserve a historical landmark. It's quite another to want to take on Lionel Luthor. And so far, that's what's been happening. This Joseph Willowbrook has somehow convinced Hudson that she needs to stage a one-woman... girl war against Luthorcorp. I think she's even gotten Lex involved.

Once the ground begins to even out, I move a little more quickly to catch up to Hudson. The beam of my flashlight grazes across a primitive drawing of stick figures stacked into a pyramid. I can't help but smile. This place looks like a classroom of kindergartner's were let loose with finger paints.

"So, this is all supposed to have something to do with you?" I ask, stopping beside the little stick figures.

Hudson bites her lip and looks at the wall. "I don't know. The things that Joseph said... He told me that these drawings speak of someone named Numan, who would fall from the skies in a rain of fire." She pauses and looks at me and I know she's thinking of the meteor shower. Continuing, she adds, "They say that Numan will have the strength of ten men, and will be able to start fires with her eyes."

"Her?" I can't help but smile. "They're so sure of Numan's sex, then?"

Sighing, Hudson waves me a few feet over, to another wall. "This is what I mostly wanted to show you."

I look up where she is flashing her light to a figure of something that looks like a very badly drawn dragon, only it has two heads. They're facing each other, angry and snarling. "What's that?"

"That's Numan and Segeeth. They're lovers, two halves of the same soul. Joseph told me that legend has it, one day he'll turn against Numan, and together they'll be the balance between good and evil." She's worrying her lower lip like she does, shifting nervously.

I watch her for a long moment, waiting for more. Then it hits me why we're here, why she looks so panicked. "Oh, wait. You believe all of this stuff, right? And now you think that's supposed to be you and Lex?" I point at the wall above, careful to keep my tone modulated, so that Hudson doesn't think I'm making fun of her.

Really, I'm not. I can understand why she'd be so fascinated with all of this, especially when this Joseph tells her things that relate so closely to who and what she is. I'd be a little scared, too.

Hudson nods and turns away, fiddling with her flashlight. "Things have been sort of rocky with Lex and I lately – "

"You haven't mentioned anything," I tell her, concerned.

She shakes her head. "No. I keep thinking that maybe if I ignore it, everything will just go away. But sometimes, it gets worse. I make it worse. Like during our weekend in Metropolis." She turns back to me, eyes wide. "I made a mistake, Lana. And Lex, he's the one that paid for it. And I think he knows I was lying to him."

"What did you do?"

"It doesn't matter now." Running a hand through her hair, Hudson glances up at the drawing on the wall, again. "I have this nightmare... I'm flying and I'm holding Lex in my arms and... he's looking at me with such hatred. And then he tells me to let him go, and I do and – "

"Hudson." I reach out to touch her arm, noting the pale pallor of her skin, the panic in her eyes. Quietly, I assure her, "There's an explanation for all of this, hon, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with you being Numan or Lex being Ziget – "

"Segeeth."

"Whatever." I give her a soft smile. "These are legends, Hudson. Nothing more. Look at these drawings. You could infer anything from them. And I hardly think that one up there looks anything like you and Lex," I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

"What about the fire storm from the sky?" She persists. "Or the strength of ten men? Or starting fires with her eyes?"

"Well, first I think you're a hell of a lot stronger than ten men. At least, the men I know!"

"Lana!" She rolls her eyes and turns away from me.

"Okay, look. How do they even know what these walls say? I mean, some inventive story-teller could have just made it all up."

"The story has been passed down through generations," she tells me earnestly. "From a man who came from the stars and fell in love with the mother of their people. Out of that forbidden affair, the Kawatchee people were born. When he left, he promised he would send another."

I can't understand why Hudson seems to want so fervently to believe this, even at the same time as she apparently wishes for me to disprove it.

"There could be any manner of explanations, Hudson," I reply, waving a hand toward her. "Did you ever think this could be some grand scheme to expose your secret?"

She looks at me, surprised, her expression evidencing the fact that she never considered it. "But... how?"

"I don't know." I shrug. "What if this Mr. Willowbrook saw you using your powers? That could explain his mention of your strength and heat vision. Maybe he wants to exploit you or something. Use you for some of his own nefarious purposes."

Hudson laughs a little nervously. "What possibly nefarious thing could Joseph be capable of doing?"

"Well, he seems to harbor a lot of resentment toward Lionel Luthor. Maybe he has plans to use you to go after him."

"I don't know. It doesn't seem right."

Sighing, Hudson slides to the floor, leaning her arms on her knees as she stares up at the wall. I walk over and sit down beside her, following her gaze up to the drawings. As fantastic and impossible as it all seems... well, I am sitting beside an alien who happens to be my best friend. And when I look at it that way, having some old Indian legend that speaks prophetically of her coming doesn't really seem all that far-fetched any more.

"Why can't I just be like everyone else, Lana?" Hudson whispers beside me, voice wavering. "Why can't I just be normal? Be a human being? I don't want to be meant for something greater. I don't want to be responsible for saving Joseph's people – any people!"

I bite my lip at the distress I can hear in Hudson's voice, the tears spilling onto her cheeks. Reaching out, I brush them away. "Hon, I truly believe that even if you were human, you would never be just normal. You would always be destined for something greater, something better than any of us. It's just the way you are. If someone needs to be saved, you save them. You put others first. And I don't think it's because you're an alien or Numan or anything like that. It's because... you're you."

Hudson grows silent, shaking her head just slightly as she returns her gaze to the wall. I wish I could make her fears and pain go away. I wish I could hold her or something, or just offer a moment's comfort. She's got all of these people around her who love her so much, and yet I think she's afraid that not one of us really understands. And even though we're there, she's still all alone.

"Let's go."

I climb to my feet and quietly follow Hudson out of the caves, feeling stupid for not being able to help her.

When she drops me off at home, I wave to her, watching as the truck disappears down the drive before turning and hurrying inside the house. Aunt Nell is standing at the counter, arranging a fresh array of flowers into a vase – chrysanthemums and roses, sprigs of baby's breath and ferns. I slip off my jacket, watching her for a moment before she looks up at me and smiles.

"Did you have a good time with Hudson?"

I nod, pleased that she's asking. My aunt doesn't really like my growing friendship with Hudson. It's not that I think she doesn't like Hudson as a person... Actually, I don't know what it is. Sometimes it's like she's looking down on her, thinks she isn't good enough to be my friend or something. I don't know. I've never really asked. There are a lot of things that Aunt Nell keeps secret from me.

"We drove around town and stuff," I tell her, reaching out for a grape from the bowl on the countertop. "We talked."

"That's nice," Nell replies as she ties a pink ribbon around the top of the vase.

I watch her a moment longer before asking, "Mom, did you ever have a best friend that... well, that you couldn't stop thinking about?"

She looks up at me then, gaze narrowed for just a moment before shrugging slightly and smiling once more. "Her name was Jenny Carter. We were inseparable. Shared each other's clothes, spent hours on the phone every night, spent every weekend at each other's house." She laughs a little and shakes her head. "We were even closer than your mother and me. I remember wishing she were my twin, never believing we would ever not be friends."

"I think about Hudson constantly when she isn't with me," I tell her. "Whenever something happens, I wonder what she would say about it. It's like... well, it's like I love her, Nell."

"Lana." My aunt reaches out to touch my shoulder, brushing my hair back. "I think all young girls experience that moment with the right friend. Your best girlfriend is safer than any boy, knows you better than anyone around you, and shares your deepest secrets. Of course, you love her. I remember wondering the same about Jenny – if my love for her was just normal, or if it was something else. And when we finally did drift apart at the end of high school, I realized it was just one of those special friendships that comes along maybe once in a lifetime."

I want to ask Nell if she ever knew what it was like to kiss her friend, to be held by her, to look up at her and know that she's the most beautiful creature she's ever seen. Was Jenny special, different, unlike anything else on earth? And did Jenny share this one secret with her, singling her out from everyone else? I don't know how my aunt would react if I ever told her the truth – that I fantasize about Hudson kissing me again. That I want to know what it's like to be touched by her, to taste her mouth after she's just drank a glass of lemonade or smell the scent of hay in her dark hair. When Whitney broke it off with me, I couldn't even find it in my heart to truly care, except to wish that Hudson were free, too. Just so that I could maybe have a chance of finding out if she cared for me like I do her.

Is that just the love for a friend? Or something deeper, something unattainable?

I give Nell a small smile and push away from the counter to head up to my room, glancing over my shoulder at her. "Thanks, Nell. It's nice to know I'm not alone."

Or maybe, we really all are alone. And Hudson's not as unique as she believes.

Dodd

Television is possibly one of the single greatest inventions of the human race. I have yet to outgrow my fascination with it; it's ability to tell stories, draw images, and pull you into another life without ever having to leave the comfort of your own mind. The newest revolution in entertainment – that of reality shows – has me just as enthralled. Not because of any particular ability to provide exciting storylines, but in the simple inanity of it all. It's, as young Miss Kent would say, complete crap. And still, I can't tear myself away from it.

I have a television sitting on the counter in the kitchen. My employer hates it there, but I don't really care. He hardly enters the kitchen as it is, unless it's to greet Miss Kent when she arrives with the weekly delivery, and then neither ever stays very long. Right now it's playing my latest obsession, The Amazing Race. Human beings will do the strangest things just for some momentary fame, just to be noticed.

"Hey, Dodd."

Glancing up from my measuring cup, I watch as Hudson Kent slips into the kitchen, closing the door quietly behind her. She has discarded her traditional work clothes for something dressier – a white sweater and black slacks. It makes her appear older, less carefree. She's been troubled lately, her smile less frequent; sadness and fear that is usually missing from her thoughts now very prevalent. I attribute it all to whatever truly happened in Metropolis. Apparently my employer doesn't believe the story she gave him. I know that she was simply protecting herself, but he does not.

"Are you going somewhere?" I inquire before returning to the cup of flour I was measuring.

"Lex is taking me to the movies."

She pauses by the counter and stares up at me a moment, and I know there are a thousand questions on her mind. I've never said a word with regards to what I know about her, yet still she fears. If she knew the truth, she would probably fear me even more.

"We're going to see 'Two Towers' again."

"I see."

"What are you making?" She peers over my shoulder.

"Dough," I reply. "For bread tomorrow."

"Oh."

She leans against the counter, watching me work, making no move to head toward the study. Usually, when she behaves this way, it means Miss Kent wants to say something, or ask me something, and it typically takes her a few moments to do so. I give her the time needed, splitting my concentration between the recipe and my television show, attempting to ignore the jumbled thoughts that are burning through the mind of the young woman beside me.

"Dodd?"

Ah, there it is.

"Has Lex ever... " She trails off and bites her lip and watches me a moment before shaking her head. "Never mind."

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued that she would stop herself before asking the question that is plaguing her. Glancing over, I watch as she exits the kitchen, disappearing soundlessly down the hall. The question regarding Lex's newest friend, Helen Bryce, is still burning brightly in her thoughts.

Normally, I don't make it a habit of reading the minds of those around me. It's far too invasive. Especially when, sometimes, the thoughts of humans are better left to the individuals, and not to be shared. Miss Kent is a different matter all together, though. There are times that her thoughts are so loud; it's almost impossible to block them out. She has never been taught to keep her thoughts and emotions to herself, so not only are they visible through her expressions and body language, but she projects them loudly through her mind as well. I suppose it's because no one has ever been a threat to her before – not even the young, telepathic boy Luthor harbored for her a few months ago was able to penetrate her alien defenses.

But then, she's never met another alien before. At least, not that she's aware of.

"Stop behaving like a goddamned child!" I hear my employer bellow down the hall.

A scant second later, Miss Kent stomps into the kitchen, whirling around just as she clears the threshold to face Luthor, who is only a few steps behind her. "If I'm behaving like a child, maybe it's because you're treating me like one! Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe that this is just some buddy thing you have going on with her?"

"Christ, Hudson! All I did was ask her to go to the movie with us. The way you're carrying on, you'd think I'd invited her to a threesome or something!"

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Luthor snorts in disgust. "Dodd, would you excuse us?"

I shrug, "You're not bothering me," and go back to my work.

"I'm going home," Miss Kent announces.

"Dammit, Hudson!" He grabs her arm before she can escape, obviously realizing that either they have this discussion in front of me, or not at all. "Why can't you get it through your head that I'm just trying to be friendly? Helen doesn't know anyone in Smallville. I thought, of all the people who would understand making someone feel welcome, it would be you."

She's pouting. I once heard Luthor refer to this particular behavior of hers as 'heavy artillery'. "You like her."

He sighs and rubs his hand over his face for a moment, glancing back at me. I keep my gaze carefully trained on the television.

"Helen and I have a lot in common, Hudson," he finally replies, voice lowering as he turns back to her. "Have you ever thought about the fact that you're the only person in this town who bothers to give me the time of day? The only one who asks me how I'm doing, and gives a damn? Helen is someone who comes from the same place that I do. We're friends, Angel. Friends." He touches her chin, bringing her gaze to his. "Don't you know? No one could take your place in my heart."

Miss Kent makes a small noise in her throat at that, heavy artillery quickly falling under a peace treaty.

Luthor smiles. "I'll go call Helen and tell her that something came up, and maybe we can meet her for a movie some other time."

As he turns to leave, she reaches out to touch his hand. "Lex... No. It's all right. She can come with us."

"You're certain?" He asks, after a moment's hesitation.

"Yes." She nods and flashes a big smile before slipping her hand into his. "Come on. We're going to be late. And you know I have to have the 'sweet' spot!"

They disappear out the door, making their way along the path that leads to the garage. I quietly finish the dough I am preparing, and then set it aside to rise before turning off the television and moving toward the door. Once outside, I consider my choices and slowly feel my body change around me. The world becomes larger as I creep closer and closer to the ground, ignoring the chill of the cement from the winter's frost against my four feet.

The door opens behind me and I turn to see the housekeeper, Mrs. Maxwell, peering outside. "Dodd?" She calls out. "Dodd, are you out here?"

Sitting back, I look up at her silently until she finally glances down, and a frown crosses her face.

"Shooo!" She exclaims, waving her hands toward me. "You pesky cat! Where did you come from? Go away! We have no scraps for strays!"

I bellow my displeasure at her apparent dislike of animals with a loud meow, and then dart away, jogging down the curving path toward the woods that surround the estate. The lack of underbrush during the winter months makes my journey smoother, leaving only the occasional fallen tree and deadened stump left in my way to maneuver over or around. Traveling as a human might make the journey easier but far too conspicuous – Luthor's cook isn't often seen leaving the estate grounds. As a cat, I'm virtually ignored, and it's far easier to get in and out of places I otherwise have no business trespassing through.

Cutting across the back pasture of the Kent farm, I break into a run, hoping not to be seen by Miss Kent's mutt, AJ, again. The last time I passed through, he chased me until I was forced to change into my true form and confront him. He did a quick turnabout, and raced back to the farm. Unfortunately, I don't want to take the risk of morphing out in the open like that again.

Minutes later, I slip under the fence surrounding the property owned by Luthorcorp, and cautiously make my way toward the opening to the caves. The last time I made my way across the site, I was nearly plowed under by one of the bulldozers. The operator had laughed, apparently enjoying the idea of killing one of nature's creatures. Sometimes, I just don't understand human behavior.

Ducking into the entrance, I follow the descent down into the darkness of the underground labyrinth and toward the outcroppings with the oldest paintings. Certain that I'm alone, I morph this time into the person known as John Jones, just in case I am detected, so my presence here can't be taken back to Luthor or Miss Kent. Stepping forward, I begin surveying the crude paintings before me, as I have so many times before, and ponder their meaning to both the young alien I've been watching, and the world at large. There are clues hidden in the rock as to why her arrival occurred here on Earth, only I have yet to decipher them. Ever since their discovery, I have come here day or night to wonder at the story told through the art of the Kawatchee tribe. At first it had been in the hope that something of Mars would be mentioned, that there might exist some knowledge of my people by the humans, so that we would not be totally forgotten. Those hopes were quickly dashed though as I realized the story here was about the alien child who landed in Smallville thirteen years ago.

When the meteor shower occurred, I learned quickly of the ship's existence. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived in Smallville, the traveler was already gone, and I was left with the concern as to whether he escaped on his own, or was captured by the government. A quick investigation negated my concerns regarding the government, but I still had no idea what happened to the being that occupied the rumored craft. All indications pointed to a landing, but it was as if both visitor and ship simply disappeared.

Over the years, I remained alert for any information regarding the occurrence in Smallville. Occasionally, there were stories – not just of the effects of the meteor rocks on the inhabitants, but circumstances much more difficult to explain – lives that were saved in impossible situations, blurred movement in the distance. I was in Turkey at the time, busy protecting the populace in my new home. And as much as I wished to discover if these tales were true, I wasn't prepared to abandon my post just yet. It wasn't until my return to Kansas, and a job I took as a detective with the Metropolis Police Department, that I continued my queries into the meteor shower and its cause.

What began as a routine investigation of former spy, Maxim Dodd, eventually led to my employment under Lex Luthor. Dodd was a former heavy-hitter during the Cold War. He was dangerous, deadly, and willing to flip sides at the mere mention of more money. He was working for Luthor under the guise of cook, though he was truly hired to be his bodyguard. Unbeknownst to his employer, Dodd was actually working for Lex's father, Lionel, to keep an eye on his son's activities. Being the snake he was, Dodd was playing them both, trading off more secrets of Luthorcorp for a sizeable sum to their competitor, Hardwick Inc. When the deal finally fell through – apparently from too many sides playing against one another - Dodd's luck ran out, and Sir Harry had him killed. Unable to arrive before the murder took place, I simply took up the disguise of Dodd, and returned to Smallville in his place. On my homeworld I was known as J'onn Jonzz, but here on Earth I've been called John Jones, Marko Xavier, Dervish, Bronze Wrath, Paolo, Johann Johansen and Tomasso, the cat. It's a simple thing for me to slip from one identity to the other, and I do miss the ones that I have been forced to retire. The new identity provided me with an opportunity I would never have counted on - the ability to finally meet the visitor who landed here more than a decade ago.

And so began the questions – Where was she from? Why was she here? Would more of her kind be coming? Or was her arrival a fluke? I wish I knew more. I wish I had the answers that I know she is undoubtedly asking herself day after day. More than anything, I wish I could tell her that she's not alone, that she isn't the only one who is different, who can't truly call this planet home. Nothing is more frightening, more painful, than believing you're all alone, that there is no one who will understand you, no one who could truly accept you for what you are. If I were to present myself to the people of this planet, in my true form, I do not believe that I would be accepted. For all of the brilliant, scientific minds like Luthor, there are just as many who remain superstitious and tied to their beliefs that the universe revolves around Earth.

But I cannot interfere with Hudson Kent's maturation. Whatever the future holds for her, she must learn to accept and embrace it through her own experiences and choices. I wish that I could guide her; I wish that I could make it easy.

Instead, I wait, and I watch, and I ponder the mystery of her presence.

Lionel

"She's coming, Mr. Luthor."

I wave a hand over my shoulder toward Dominic, where I know he's hovering like a guard dog. "Leave us for a few."

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I watch as he walks off toward the edge of the park, before focusing my gaze back to the path. As she approaches the bench, I am reminded of a quote by Petrarch: Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together. Helen Bryce is certainly beautiful, with her exotic looks, dark hair, and her refined and elegant in manner. A man would be remiss not to notice her, and she is exactly the type of woman my son falls for. Especially if one were to delve deeper into her motivations and psyche to see the bitch that lay beneath. Frankly, if my plan does work – and there's no reason it shouldn't – then Lex deserves to be shown once again that women cannot be trusted.

And that includes his precious little farm girl.

As Helen reaches me, I carefully focus my gaze ahead of me, continuing to feign my blindness.

"It's a little risky, isn't it?" She comments, perching on the edge of the bench. "Meeting out here in the open like this."

"Ah, Dr. Bryce. I didn't hear you approach." I smile, enjoying her sudden unease. Ignoring her comment, I politely comment, "I hope your new home is treating you well."

"It has it's charms," she replies, setting her purse between us.

"On the surface, Smallville is very charming. Quaint, peaceful, enchanting even. It's when you finally spy its hidden underbelly that the true nature of this town becomes apparent."

"No wonder the Luthors have moved in."

I raise an eyebrow. "Casting stones, Dr. Bryce?"

Beside me, she purses her lips and shifts slightly on the bench. "I haven't agreed to anything yet, Mr. Luthor," she responds indignantly. "So far, my worst mistake has been agreeing to meet you here."

Reaching into the inner pocket of my coat, I grab a slip of paper and extend it toward her. "Perhaps this will entice you to take a step further."

Hesitating only a moment, Helen takes the paper from me and unfolds it, eyes narrowing slightly as she glances over the figure. Folding it once more, she places it into the side pocket of her purse and returns her gaze to me.

"What do you want me to do? Kill somebody?" She laughs nervously.

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Nothing quite so dramatic, doctor. You've already taken the first few steps, acquainting yourself with my son as I requested. Now, I would like you to take it a step further. Ingratiate yourself into his life, make yourself someone he trusts above all others."

Helen shakes her head quickly, rolling her eyes. "It's not as easy as all of that. He's enamored of his little girlfriend. In his eyes, she can do no wrong. I think he judges everyone he meets by her."

"So change his mind."

She stares at me, brow furrowing. "I don't understand."

Leaning on my cane, I gaze out at the park as I explain, "Hudson Kent is an interesting young woman, Dr. Bryce, as I'm sure you'll discover on your own soon enough. She has my son captivated because she saved his life – Lex easily falls prey to people who show any sign of kindness toward him. It's an unfortunate trait he developed from his mother."

"Yeah. Making friends with people is a very unfortunate trait," Helen remarks sarcastically.

I ignore the comment and continue. "This... need my son has developed to cling to those he thinks care for him blinds him to the truth regarding human nature. First and foremost, it's survival of the fittest. What we do, we do for ourselves. There are no exceptions."

"Are you always this cheerful?"

"Dr. Bryce, if you plan on succeeding, and receiving more bank statements like the one I just handed you, then I suggestion you heed my advice."

Helen shrugs and does nothing to hide her look of boredom. She's feisty, something I know my son will appreciate once the glow of Miss Kent is diminished. And I don't believe that should take very long. After all, there is little that Lex and his farm girl share in common – and it's the common ties that bind.

"Hudson Kent is hiding something, Dr. Bryce," I inform her. "And I intend to find out what that is. My son, for all his devotion to the girl, is guided by his curiosity. I know he's as interested in discovering the truth as I am but, unfortunately, he guards anything he knows about Miss Kent very carefully. I'd say he's more obsessive about protecting what he knows of her from me than he is about discovering more about her." I pause, allowing this to sink in, so that she understands how difficult it might be to make it past his defenses. "I need you to be the key that opens the lock to his collection of information. I don't know if he keeps the information on his computer, in files in his study or somewhere else. All I do know is, the knowledge he has, combined with what I have learned, may be the final pieces of this very interesting puzzle."

There's silence beside me for a long moment, and I turn slightly, watching Helen as she processes this information. I can tell she's interested, but like most people I'm certain she's more interested in how much this information is worth to me, than any thoughts of gathering it for herself. If there is one thing I've learned on my in depth research of Dr. Bryce, it's that she likes big payoffs for minimal work. She'll take whatever path is the easiest to get what she wants. I'm not too worried that the information she retrieves for me will stay in her hands long, especially when I'm willing to pay the right price. I swear this woman would stab her own mother in the back if she were certain to gain power and wealth in the process. And normally, I would avoid such an individual for the sheer unpredictability such traits imply. Unfortunately, she's the perfect pawn for my plan.

"So, you want me to convince him she's lying to him?" Helen questions.

"There's no need to be so obvious," I reply with a thin smile. "Seeds of doubt, Dr. Bryce. That's all Lex really needs. The rest, I assure you, he will develop with his own brand of paranoia. Surely you're smart enough to outwit a sixteen year old?" I challenge.

Helen straightens her shoulders, glaring at me outright, apparently at ease with my blindness. "I'm not worried about her," I reply. "Only what your son will do when he finds out what you're up to."

"Ah, but he won't find out, now will he, Dr. Bryce?"

Standing, I turn slightly, focusing my gaze just over her head where I see Dominic take notice and begin moving in our direction. "My son means everything to me, doctor," I begin. "Make no mistake about that."

She snorts. "You have a funny way of showing it."

Shrugging, I smile. "I don't expect you to understand. The Luthor name carries with it a certain amount of sacrifice to achieve the greatness expected. Lex is too emotionally attached to the small world he's created for himself to see past his narrow vision. I know he is capable of achieving more, once he accepts and follows the path I've set before him. There are always minor obstacles to be overcome, and we are in the process of eradicating one of those.

"Gain my son's trust and you'll find another payment in your account. Bring me the information I seek, and you'll never have to worry about working in a small town hospital again. Do we have a deal?"

She looks away, expression one of deep thought. Finally, she nods and glances up at me. "But, uh, I'll do this at my own pace and design."

"Agreed." I hold out my hand to her as she stands and she takes it, shaking once. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Dr. Bryce."

Not bothering to hide her dislike, she barely acknowledges my words before turning and heading back down the path.

If you can imagine it, you can create it. So many brilliant individuals have been held back by lack of funds, lack of materials, lack of technology, and lack of answers. I don't plan on allowing any of these obstructions to stand in my way. There's great power to be had – power unlike any have ever seen or heard of. And its within my grasp, tantalizing me with its nearness, with the sheer inevitability that one day, it will be mine. Whether by coercion or outright force, I will not be denied this. The signs have been spread out before me like a carefully laid roadmap. All I need now, to find my way, are the destination and the purpose.

Martha

My husband is tense beside me; though his hand still holds mine, thumb occasionally sweeping back and forth in a caress. He hasn't said much, his gaze never straying far from the seat across from us where our daughter is sitting beside Lex. I can't shake the feeling that something happened between Jonathan and Lex today regarding the situation at LuthorCorp. But Jonathan doesn't seem willing to talk about it yet, and I don't want to push.

"Are you all right, Mrs. Kent?"

I glance over at Lex, noting the concern on his face. It seems sincere enough and yet, I used to believe that Lionel was sincere in his wish for me to work for him. And now I know that the only reason I was there was so that he could gather information on Hudson, and get closer to our family. It makes me fear for our daughter; fear that her relationship with Lex could be dangerous. Not that I believe he would hurt her, but I do believe that there is nothing his father wouldn't do.

"I'm fine, Lex," I tell him with a slight smile. "Thank you for asking."

Hudson smiles at me and moves closer to Lex, placing her hand over his. Lex visibly stiffens and I wonder if she notices. She doesn't seem to, though, leaning over to whisper something to him before laying her head against his shoulder. Young love is a beautiful thing, and I've wanted nothing more than for my daughter to be happy in the time she has with Lex before they both grow up and move on. But after the events of today, I don't want her mixed up with the Luthors anymore than my husband does. I'd feel so much more comfortable if the Luthors were out of ours lives, and maybe it's not far of me to put any of the blame on Lex's shoulders, but as long as Hudson is close to him, she is far, far too close to his father. I don't want to hurt Lex – I truly believe he loves our daughter – but I can't seem to convince myself that he's good for her anymore. This would be so much easier if he came from a different family, if he had a different father.

I'm so angry with Lionel Luthor right now, I could scream. That vault filled with meteor rock... I don't understand it. Why he feels the need to collect it unless he knows of Hudson's weakness to it, and I'm just not ready to believe that yet. At least we had a chance to destroy the file he had on her, and I can feel the key from her ship safe in my pocket. Unfortunately, I fear for how long it will remain safe.

If I tell Hudson I found it, there's no telling what she might do. She's impulsive and rash – and she wasn't there to see the ship as it awoke, the power it commanded with a simple insertion of the key. I've never really feared the ship's presence; it had always been the vessel that brought Hudson to us, and little more. But now it represents knowledge, a possibility for our daughter to discover who she is and where she's from. And maybe she'll want to return there. Or maybe the ship will just hurt her in some manner. It's even possible if the ship took off on it's own again that Lionel Luthor would see it, find it, make it his, and it would lead him back to Hudson. This key is dangerous and it makes the ship dangerous. It doesn't make sense, but I almost felt safer when Lex had possession of it. At least then I didn't know what it could do.

And to think Lionel was trying to get me to work in Metropolis, to turn the life of my family upside down just to do his bidding. The worst of it all is that I actually considered it, even if only for a split second, I wondered what it would be like to sit in my own office, staring out at the skyline of Metropolis, knowing that I was an integral part of the running of Luthorcorp. Except, I realize that most likely that wasn't the point of his request. I can't shake the feeling that Lionel has intentions of splitting our family apart, making Hudson even more vulnerable to his machinations. I'll do whatever it takes to make certain that never happens.

I look over to the seat across from us to find that Hudson has fallen asleep, head tucked against Lex's shoulder. He's watching her, fingers gently caressing her wrist of the hand that is resting in his lap. He seems so very tender and caring with her, and sometimes I can't help but wonder if Lex hasn't put our daughter on some kind of pedestal because she saved his life. It's sad that she would have so far to fall if she ever made the decision to tell the truth. I don't know if Lex would accept the necessary lies that the foundation of our family has been built on. When I look at the relationship he has with Lionel, I can't help but imagine Lex as an abused puppy – kick him one too many times and he fights back. I fear for him and his future. And I fear for Hudson's role in it. God, I wish I could make her life easier.

"Is there anywhere in particular you would like the pilot to set the helicopter down at?" Lex asks Jonathan quietly, breaking the silence.

My husband stiffens slightly beside me and then shakes his head.

Lex watches him for a moment, as if he wants to say something else, and then turns and speaks to the pilot behind him. Hudson stirs beside him, bringing Lex's attention back to her.

"Wake up, Angel," he whispers. "You're home."

I smile as Hudson blinks her eyes open, stretching slightly as she glances at Lex almost shyly. She's so very beautiful, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother; it's easy to see that Lex is as enchanted with her looks as anyone would be. But what never ceases to amaze me is how in awe Hudson often seems of Lex. Her she is a unique, gorgeous individual with brains, beauty and abilities beyond imagining, and yet it's a young man as flawed as Lex Luthor that she looks up to, and even on occasion emulates. They could be so good for each other, if only their very different lives didn't have to interfere with that.

"I can't believe I fell asleep," Hudson mumbles as the helicopter lands in our driveway.

"You've had a rough day," Lex excuses with a half-smile as he pushes the door open and climbs out.

Jonathan follows, saying nothing as he heads straight toward the house. Lex holds his hand out to me and I accept the help, moving only a few feet away as I wait for Hudson to join me. It's obvious that she wants to give Lex a proper kiss goodnight but with my presence, Lex is hesitant. He finally settles for a quick peck and a hug before assuring her that he would call in the morning, and then climbs back into the helicopter, shutting the door behind him.

Hudson steps back beside me, watching as the helicopter lifts off into the air and toward the Luthor estate. "Something's wrong," she comments softly. "Lex was upset but he won't tell me why."

Not knowing how to reply, I slip my arm around her waist and guide her toward the house where I can see my husband waiting by the kitchen door. "Come on. Let's get inside. It's chilly out here."

Sighing softly, Hudson walks with me up the back stairs and into the warmth of the kitchen where Jonathan is pacing beside the sink. I give him a warm smile, hoping to ease the tension set in his shoulders. There's a long silence as if none of us seem to know what to say. Hudson removes her jacket and leans against the counter, worrying her lower lip. She looks at me pointedly before glancing at her father. I nod, knowing now is as good a time as ever to tell him what we found.

"I think Lex had something to do with this," Jonathan announces before I can say anything.

Hudson straightens, eyes flashing her disbelief. "What? That's insane, dad. Lex would never do anything of the sort!"

"I caught him on the phone, H.C.," Jonathan responds, meeting her gaze. "He was talking to the people that were holding your mother and Lionel captive."

"He was probably attempting to negotiate their release. He told his father he did everything he could. I was there, he – "

"And how did he get a hold of them, H.C.?" Folding his arms over his chest, her father stares at her, waiting for an answer.

Knowing I need to stop this conversation before my husband or daughter takes it too far, I comment, "Whoever they were speaking to was a man named Mr. Green."

Hudson glances over at me, humor evident in her expression. "Well, there. See? Lex is more original than that. He at least would have gone with Professor Plum or Colonel Mustard."

"This isn't funny, H.C.," Jonathan remarks.

I sigh and shake my head at Hudson when she is about to reply. "No, it isn't. Jonathan, it isn't Lex that we have to worry about. It's Lionel."

My husband frowns as he stares at me. "What do you mean?"

"When they opened Lionel's vault, there were bars of meteorite inside. Dozens of them."

"What is Lionel doing with the meter rocks?"

I shake my head. "I'm afraid it may have something to do with Hudson. Jonathan, he had a file on her, too."

He stares at me in shock before glancing over at our daughter, who nervously drops her gaze to the floor. "Dammit, Martha. I knew letting those people into our lives was a bad idea."

"Lex isn't a part of this, dad!"

"Do you have any proof, H.C.? How do you know for certain? All of this time, you mother has been working for Lionel, believing she had an honest to God job, when in actuality he's been using her to get close to you, to our family. How do you know Lex isn't doing the same?"

"Because he loves me," Hudson responds stubbornly. "I don't know why you can't accept that. Why you're so certain that no one could love me enough not to hurt me – "

"Honey," I interrupt, moving over to touch her cheek. "Your father isn't saying that. We just have to be careful now. We have no idea how much Lionel knows. He could be using his own son to get information on you. And that's what we have to watch out for."

"Lex would never hurt me," she whispers.

I smile. "I know. Look, why don't you go upstairs and get into bed. You've had a busy day." Reaching up, I hug her tightly to me. "Thank you for coming to our rescue. You put yourself at risk, and were as brave and wonderful as can be. I'm so proud of you, sweetie."

"Thanks, mom."

I glance over her shoulder at Jonathan, giving him a hard look. He forces a smile and nods. "We're both proud of you, H.C," he tells her softly. "There's no telling what would have happened if you hadn't taken the chance you did to save your mother."

Hudson seems to force a smile in return before kissing my cheek. "Goodnight, mom. I'm glad you're okay."

I remain silent as Hudson heads up the stairs to her room. Once out of hearing range, I turn to Jonathan, setting my hands on my hips. "You need to temper you attitude toward Lex, Jonathan Kent, before our daughter decides the Luthors are more trustworthy than her own parents."

Jonathan shakes his head and looks toward the stairs. "How do you expect me to react, Martha, after the news you just gave me and my suspicions regarding Lex's part in today's events?"

"They are only suspicions," I point out. "Just as you asked Hudson for proof for Lex not working with his father, you owe her proof regarding his duplicity before you begin hurtling accusations. Jonathan, we have to begin trusting our daughter's instincts, or how else will she ever learn to trust them?"

He sighs and brings his gaze back to mine. "I'm just trying to protect our family, Martha. I was scared today. Scared that we might lose you. And it all comes back to the Luthors. It always comes back to the Luthors."

I walk over to my husband wrap my arms around him, welcoming the return embrace. The scent of hay and oil and the rich, warm earth of Kansas cling to his clothing. It grounds me, reminds me of what's important, of what we've built together. I close my eyes, refusing to imagine a world without this, without him or my daughter or the happiness that surrounds us.

"We're stronger than that, Jonathan. We're stronger than the Luthors or anyone. As long as we're a family, no one can touch us."

Jonathan's arms tighten around me and he kisses the top of my head. "I love you. You know that?"

I lift my head and smile. "Nothing else matters."

Maybe it's wrong of me not to tell them about the key, but after all that we've been through tonight... I'm not ready yet. I'll put it somewhere safe and then, when the danger from Lionel seems to have diminished, I can give it to Hudson. When she's older and ready to understand whatever the ship has to teach her, then it will be safe.

Then I won't have to worry about our family being torn apart.

Helen

"Thank you for doing this."

I flash a smile at Lex as he looks over at me with my words. He shrugs and returns his attention to the road. "I didn't really have anything else going on."

He falls into silence again, which has been the state of conversation between us since he picked me up earlier this evening. I've slowly been learning that the most difficult aspect of this job I have to do is getting Lex to open up, or to speak at all. Sometimes I wonder how Hudson handles it, how it doesn't just drive her up a wall, his brooding silences and moody behavior. And then I remind myself that if a sixteen-year old farm girl can get to him, can capture his attention, then I sure as hell can do the same damn thing.

"I can't believe the run of bad luck I've had," I continue in my attempt to draw him out of his shell this evening. "First my car breaks down, and then the train station loses my travel information. You really came through for me when no one else could."

Lex doesn't say anything.

I add, "Especially after the day that you've had. Is your father all right?"

He tenses, hands clenching the wheel a little more tightly. "My father is fine," he snaps.

It's my natural instinct to want to knock that goddamned chip off of his shoulder and tell him to grow up. Instead, I think about everything that Lionel has told me about his son and adopt an expression of hurt.

"I'm sorry. It's none of my business." I glance out the window, silently communicating that the conversation is over.

Almost like clockwork, I here Lex sigh beside me and shift in his seat. I can feel his gaze on me for a moment.

"You didn't deserve that. I'm sorry. It's been a rough day and... it only continued to get worse when I returned to Smallville."

I turn to face him once more, my gaze sympathetic. "What happened?... I mean, you don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to. But I'm here to listen, if you need to get it out."

Lex seems to contemplate my words for a few moments, the silence stretching on between us, broken only by the soft hum of the engine. He shifts slightly in his seat and glances over at me once more as if gauging whether I'm trustworthy or not. It makes me want to hit him.

"My father took control of Lexcorp," he responds finally. "I'm working for him... again."

Lionel didn't inform me of any plans he had to take his son's company. "I don't understand. How could that happen?"

"You tell me." His gaze narrows, expression darkening. "I thought my shareholders trusted me, that they believed in Lexcorp and it's future. But apparently I was mistaken. The stigma from the plant closing last year, and my father blaming it on me, remains. I'll never get a damn foothold in this community."

In the controlling behavior of our fathers, I can sympathize with Lex. Mine still barely acknowledges me at family get-togethers. It's the thing about men – all men. They don't seem to believe that anyone they consider lesser than them could possibly survive on their own instincts, making their own decisions. After living with a controlling father for so very long, I don't ever plan to be ruled or maneuvered by another man, again.

"I'm sorry, Lex," I reply softly, reaching over to touch his arm. "I understand a little of how you feel."

Lex nods. "Maybe that's why I told you." He looks over at me and gives me a half-smile. He's really a very attractive man when he smiles. "You know what it's like to never do the right thing in your father's eyes."

His remark makes me curious. "Have you told Hudson about this?"

"No." Lex shakes his head and looks back out the windshield. "There really wasn't time before I left to pick you up. Besides, as much as I trust she would like to know about what happened, and sympathize with me, I doubt she could ever truly understand what it means. Her family life is so different from what I grew up with that I..." He breaks off to sigh and reaches up to rub the back of his neck.

"What?" I question, knowing that there is something more there he wants to say regarding their relationship.

"Nothing." He waves his hand in dismissal before settling it back to the steering wheel.

Apparently he doesn't want to talk about Hudson with me just yet. And yet, I believe there has to be a way to coax him into it. While I've been observing them for a few weeks now, and have had the chance to learn about the difficulties involved in their relationship, I still haven't discovered just the right spark to earn Lex's trust above Hudson's. In fact, I wonder if it's even possible. Sometimes it seems as if in his eyes, she can do no wrong. What is it about a sixteen-year old that can so fascinate someone like Lex? Is it simply because she saved his life?

Determined to keep the conversation going, I ask, "So, what are you going to do?"

Lex blinks, as if he's forgotten about my presence. "Do?"

"About your company."

The darkness returns to his expression. He has the ability to switch moods faster than anyone I've ever met.

"There's not much I can do," he finally responds. "Once my father sets his plans in motion, it's near impossible to stop them. He wants to control me; he wants to force me down the path he's chosen... And for a very brief moment, I thought I'd finally broken free from that." Lex glances over at me. "I admire you for being able to do what I can not."

I allow a smile at his words. Admiration from Lex Luthor is an unexpected gift, and one that I can certainly use. "You shouldn't," I tell him, hoping he doesn't see through my false humility. "I've caused a great deal of dissention in my family, making my mother miserable in her attempt to keep the peace between my father and me. I would prefer that I never had to resort to such a step, that he could have just accepted me for who I wanted to be."

Lex shakes his head and laughs bitterly. "I've never even fooled myself about receiving such acceptance from my father. I've been a disappointment to him since the day I was born."

"At least you were the right sex," I shrug as he looks over at me. "I would never amount to anything because I'm a woman. I could never hope to be as great as he is, not in his eyes. I always wonder why people like our fathers bother having children."

"Ego," Lex replies. "They want their magnificence to be passed on, and are disappointed when they don't get what they want. So they decide to force it in anyway possible."

All men do that, I think. And not just to their children but to wives, sisters, girlfriends, perfect strangers even. They enjoy placing their pawns just where they need them. And none of them could ever begin to suspect that a mere woman could be playing her own game of chess – and win.

"Have you ever thought of just leaving?" I find myself asking. "Just telling your father where to go and going somewhere far away, changing your name, being whoever it is you want to be?"

"You don't understand." He flashes a feral smile at me that I find surprisingly hot. "I want this. I want the kind of power my father has – I want to beat him at his own game. I'm not going to surrender. I can't. That isn't who I was raised to be, and it isn't the character I was born with. I'm not a coward; I'm not going to run. I'm better than that."

"But, with everything he's put you through, aren't you tired of it?"

Lex shrugs. "I've grown... immune, I guess. Or maybe it's true, that which does not kill you, etc. I... expect it anymore. Every morning I wake up, I know my father's going to screw me over in some manner. He'll call it character building, strengthening me to lead in the corporate world one day. I'll call him on his bullshit and the next day it will all repeat."

"Jesus. And I thought my family was screwed up."

Chuckling slightly at that, his expression resigned, Lex reaches up and runs a hand over his face a moment. The silence extends to the point that I'm certain the conversation is over until Lex comments, "Thank you for this."

"What?"

He waves his hand between us. "The conversation. I've tried talking to Hudson about it – she always wants to know the whys and wherefores. But she doesn't understand. Like you, she's asked me why I don't just leave. And I've given her the same explanation as I have given you but it just doesn't seem to sink in."

"She's young," I explain. "She hasn't seen much of the world beyond the comfort and safety of her family, Lex. I think she knows that if she were to just pick up and leave one day, and nothing worked out, that she could come back home and everything would be fine. She doesn't get that not everyone has that option."

A frown appears on his face as he glances in the rearview mirror and then back to the road. "I envy her that. Her parents... they're good people. They love her above all else. Sometimes I think I'd kill to have the family that she does."

"None of us know how good we have it until we lose that."

"Mmm." He chuckles suddenly. "Do you know, the first time she asked me why don't I just runaway from it all, I knew... instinctively knew that she would go with me if I asked. And I was so tempted in that moment to do it."

"Why didn't you?" I ask.

His expression softens, and there's a deep sorrow in his eyes that is almost painful to see. "Deep inside, I know she doesn't understand me," he replies softly. "Maybe, like you said, it's because she's been so sheltered all of her life. Her world is a small one and she knows what to expect from the people in it. And I just fear... I know that one day she would wake up and look at me and..."

As he trails off, I realize I've found what I've been looking for. I know where to hurt him when it comes to Hudson. "She'd be as disappointed in you as your father is," I supply for him.

Lex nods. "Yes. She wouldn't recognize the person she thought I was, and she wouldn't like the person she saw. I wait for it to happen every day."

I reach across to lay my hand over his. "I'm sure that you're right, and something like that will one day happen, but you can't blame yourself or her for it, Lex. She's young, and still growing, becoming the person she's meant to be in another ten years or more. In that time, she's going to go through a lot of changes. God knows the boys I fell in love with as a teenager aren't the ones I'd care to be attached to today."

Lex's expression has fallen even deeper, his hands clenching the wheel once more as he swallows hard. My god, his father was right. His emotions are far too easy to play with as long as you know the right buttons to push.

"She's... " He begins and takes a breath, composing himself. "My life hasn't been the same since she entered it."

"You love her," I reply with a smile. "And I know she loves you. But to last, love has to grow. And that's a difficult thing to do when there is still so much growing up to do by one half of the relationship. It's difficult to love someone when you don't even know who they are."

Flexing his jaw, Lex grows silent once more, and this time I know it's the end of the conversation. I sit back, pleased with everything that has been accomplished tonight, and everything that I have learned. Lionel thinks he's so smart – hiring me to not only gather information that he wants but to once more place control of his son back into the palm of his hand. But, unfortunately, he overlooked one little thing.

I'm going to own Lex Luthor by the time this is over. And then I'll be the one in control.

Pete

I shouldn't have gone to that stupid Rave with Chloe and Lana last night. I'm completely behind on my homework, my dad's all over my case about it and this morning I realized I'm missing my folder with my notes from Algebra and I have no idea where it is. The Rave was a downer, anyway, thanks to yet another death of one of our classmates. Travis must have been drinking too much or unknowingly took some drugs – he's totally not the type to take drugs voluntarily – and it caused him to throw himself off a scaffolding.

Some really weird shit goes on in this town.

So here I have a test tomorrow and no notes to look over, and we all get to deal with the school counselor, Miss Rose, who will tell us once more how it's all right to show our fears and sorrow over the death of our classmate. And we all have to band together and love each other and blah blah blah. A part of me wishes I could try that drug Travis was high on. Then I might actually enjoy her psychobabble.

Pulling open the door to the Talon, I enter hoping for a little respite with my friends before I tackle homework. I haven't seen Hudson, Chloe or Lana all day. And I was really hoping to get a hold of Lana's notes for the test. The coffee shop is mostly empty, with maybe half a dozen customers, half of whom look like they wish they were somewhere else. I walk up to the counter, tapping my fingers against the bar as I wait for Melanie to notice me. She finally glances over her and shoulder and smiles. She's really pretty, and I asked her out once back in the eighth grade and she said no. I haven't tried again. That whole fear of rejection a second time really gets to a person.

"Hi, Pete."

"Hey, Melanie. What's up?"

She shakes her head. "I'm totally in a panic. I haven't heard from Lana all day, Jenny is going to be late for her shift and I'm all alone. What if we suddenly get a rush?"

I frown. "Did you try calling her?"

"Yeah. Her aunt said she hasn't seen her this morning, when she left the house with Chloe."

"Weird."

I look over my shoulder, glancing around the room. Lana is the responsible one of the group; she wouldn't just not show up for work. It's plain to see this place is her life, which is kind of sad when you think about it, but then again, it's not like the rest of us are doing anything particularly spectacular with regard to our futures.

Turning back to Melanie, I ask, "Could I get a cup of coffee? I figure I'll stick around and see if Lana shows up. If nothing else, I'll lend you a hand if things get too crazy."

Melanie smiles and I stop myself from asking her out yet again. "Thanks, Pete! I'll get that coffee for you right away."

Nodding, I take a seat on one of the stools and wait, wondering where Chloe and Lana headed off to. They were both acting a little weird last night when we left the Rave after the police had arrived and taken everyone's statements. Like they just didn't care about what happened to Travis or couldn't be bothered by it or something like that. I remember I was a little surprised by their behavior, but thought nothing of it as I dropped them off because I've never been able to figure out women. Like, ever.

Take Hudson, for example. The girl is hotter than Christina Aguilera, Beyonce and Alicia Keys all rolled in to one. And yet, she goes for someone like Lex Fricken Luthor. I mean, seriously, what could she possibly be thinking? He lies, he's constantly causing serious trouble, his family steals money from everyone around them, they pollute the environment and swallow up the lives of those stupid enough to get caught in their path. I don't know what she sees in him. Sure, he drives fast cars and has lots of his daddy's money (part of which technically belongs to my family though Hudson will never admit it), but I've never known her to be into those kinds of things. She's always seemed simpler to me.

But like I said, I don't get women.

"Well, well, well. Look who's sitting all by his wittle wonesome."

Turning in my seat at the voice, I see Hudson, Chloe and Lana walking toward me. Or, at least, unreasonable facsimiles of them. Lana is dressed in a skin tight red dress with the front zipper pulled down far enough that I can see far too much of her push-up bra. Chloe's hair is shot through with black dye and she's sucking on a lollipop so hard, I think she's going to pull the candy right off the stick.

I try not to think about that.

Hudson slips up beside me, smirking at her words, wearing heels that add a good three more inches to her height. Even on the stool I'm eye-level with her chest. Combined with the little piece of material that's apparently a flimsy excuse for a skirt, she's like all legs and then some. The attention of the four guys who are in the Talon besides me is focused firmly on my three friends.

"What's the matter, Pete?" Lana asks, moving up to Hudson and wrapping her arm around her waist. "Can't find a date?"

"I... uh... I was going to ask to borrow your notes for Algebra." I hate that my voice cracked on those last few words.

"Algebra?" Chloe rolls her eyes as she leans against the counter on the other side of me, flashing an ample amount of boobs over the top of her tank in my direction. "Surely you can find something a little more interesting to do than that?" She grins and places her hand on my thigh.

"I... " All thought has fled me. What the hell is going on?

Lana giggles, bringing my attention back to her, and she leans up to whisper something in Hudson's ear – and then she licks it! Licks Hudson's ear like it wasn't anything and now the attention of every person in here is on them. And I think the girls know it because they're showing off, speaking louder than necessary, kicking their feet against chairs, Chloe is singing beside me, smiling when she catches me looking at her. Her hand tightens on my thigh and she slides the lollipop back into her mouth slowly, raising her eyebrows in suggestion. Crap, there's only so much a guy can take!

"Is this some kind of joke?" I can't help but ask with a nervous grin as Chloe leans closer to me and blows against my ear. I turn and give her a weird look and she goes back to sucking on her lollipop, all wide-eyed and damn cute.

"It's a joke because we're trying to have a little fun?" Hudson asks, pouting.

When I look back over at her, she smiles suddenly and I can't help but be a little creeped out about it. I mean, there have always been things about Hudson that haven't made the most sense but there was once before I saw her acting all weird like this and she never had an explanation then, either. I wonder if it's Lex influence. I mean, I've never seen her go over the top like this until he came to town. He's seriously out to ruin all of our lives, I swear.

"So, uh, what're you guys up to?" I ask, hoping to get a little information out of them.

"Considering this is Smallville?" Chloe asks. "Very little." She sneers and rolls her eyes a little.

"We're thinking about heading over to Saunders Gorge," Hudson replies as she sits on one of the stools and Lana quickly presses between her legs, laying her head against her shoulder and snuffling her neck.

Whoa.

"Chloe bet me that Lex's Porsche couldn't jump the quarry."

Still staring as Lana begins nibbling on Hudson's ear, I finally catch what she said and look up at her. "You... does Lex know about this?"

Hudson shrugs, her hands moving over Lana's ass to pull her closer. "What he don't know won't hurt him. 'Sides, it isn't as if he doesn't have like a million cars. He won't even know it's missing. And if he does? He can buy a new one."

"Won't he be pissed?" I can't help but ask, in the midst my fascination with the whole make out session between my two friends.

"Like I care," she comments flippantly before pulling Lana's head up and pushing her tongue into her mouth.

Dude.

Beside me, Chloe snorts. "Third wheel here, guys," she remarks, sighing loudly. "Bubble gum, H.C. Did you bring enough for everyone?"

Hudson lifts her head and grins past my shoulder at Chloe. "Why don't you come over here and find out?"

Man!

I watch as Chloe slips down from her stool and moves past me to Hudson and Lana. She flashes me a saucy wink. There are people walking in from off the street now, as if someone ran out there and told them what was going on. The three of them almost have an audience, including me.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

At the voice, I glance over to see Lex standing a few feet away, watching Hudson with an unreadable expression. Oh, now this is going to get good!

Hudson sighs loudly, a frown instantly crossing her face as she peers over Lana's head toward Lex. "You are." She pushes Lana slightly to the side as she stands.

"Does he know?" Chloe stage whispers to her.

"No," Hudson replies with a slight snort. "I only tell people who don't go around stabbing me in the back and lying to me."

Know what? And when did Lex stab her in the back? Well, I mean, when did she actually catch on to it. What'd I miss?

Lex doesn't react to her remark. Instead, he nods toward the other side of the room. "Hudson, can I have a word with you? Alone?"

"I'm busy," she snaps, turning back toward Lana.

"Don't even worry about it, H.C.," Lana tells her with a smile as she leans up to kiss her neck and then start toward the door. "It's cool. We'll meet you in the car."

Chloe begins to follow her, stopping in front of Lex and for a moment, I think she's about to come on to him, too. Instead, she says, "You know, I always wondered. For a boy who has all the money in the world, you'd think he could afford a good toupee."

Beside me, Hudson laughs as she leaves and I really thought I'd never see something like that. I mean, yeah, it was funny and props go to Chloe for saying it. Guess I'm just used to Hudson sticking up for every little thing regarding Lex Luthor.

After they leave, Lex takes a step toward Hudson. He looks over at me as if expecting me to leave too, but I just kind of shrug and turn in my chair. I'm not about to miss out on this conversation.

"What's going on, Hudson?" He asks. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you guys were on something."

For the first time, Lex and I are thinking on the same wave length here.

"We're just having a good time," she responds casually, sidling up beside him to slip an arm around his waist. "Not that it's any of your business – "

"Hudson, you stole my car."

"Correction. I borrowed one of your cars. Damn, Lex. You'd think with a whole fleet you wouldn't get so touchy about one. It's not like you don't owe me, or anything."

Lex sighs. "Hudson, I came here to tell you I talked to Walden. He won't budge."

"He won't budge or you don't want me in the cave?" She shakes her head. "Come on, don't lie to me. You're Lex Luthor. You pay a guy to do a job; he does what you tell him. Isn't that the way it always works?"

"Hudson – "

"I'm gonna go into those caves whenever I damn well please. I dare you to stop me."

There's a moment of silence before Lex asks, "Is this really about a term paper?"

"You'd love to know, wouldn't you?" Her tone is flippant and biting. I can't help but turn back and watch as she guides him toward the door with her. "I'm gonna go. So are you."

And then she pushes Lex out of the way. Just like that. Even I'm in shock.

Lex straightens, watching her silently as she reaches the door. Finally, he calls out, "I like to see you standing up for yourself, Hudson, I really do. Be careful not to cross the line."

Laughing, she turns back to look at him. "Is that a threat?"

"I'm just giving you a friendly piece of advice," he tells her with a shrug.

Hudson nods, still smiling as she watches him. "Let me give you some back. If you know what's good for you, stay the hell away from me." With that, she turns and disappears through the door. Moments later, the sound of a car peeling out in the street echoes through the coffee shop. I look back over at Lex, surprised that I actually feel a little sorry for him. Hudson's treatment of him was bad enough, but doing in front of so many others was a little uncalled for, even by my measure for what Luthors deserve.

Catching Lex's gaze, I shrug a little. "I didn't know you two had broke up."

Lex's gaze narrows just a bit. "We didn't." Turning, he makes his way out of the Talon.

Apparently I'm not the only one who doesn't understand female behavior.

Lex

What I hate most of all is how stupid she must believe me to be. Her excuses, her lies, her feeble attempts to cover up those moments when something slips, when something unexplainable occurs. It's sad actually, watching her back peddle every step she takes. I wish I could help her. I wish that, just once, she trusted me enough to let me help her. Helen says she's too young to understand what a mature relationship entails. But Helen doesn't know the half of it. If she did, she wouldn't believe it anyway. Hell, I'm having a hard enough time convincing myself what's right before my eyes.

At first, I'd come to the conclusion that Hudson had simply been affected by the meteor rocks like so many others in this town, including myself. It made sense that she wouldn't broadcast that information because there is a very strong prejudice against those 'meteor freaks' as the townspeople have to come refer to them. I understood that, even though I held out hope that she would one day tell me the truth. I allowed her to go on with her life, with her lies, while I focused my attention on other matters, specifically those involving the cause of the meteor shower. Hudson laughed at me when I told her I thought an alien ship might have landed that day. I didn't take it personally because I could understand her disbelief. Aliens and ships from outer space were science fiction; they didn't actually exist. If you can't touch it and can't see it, then it isn't real.

But lately, my original conclusions have begun to unravel. Things weren't adding up. Or maybe, the right pieces were finally falling in to place. I've opened my eyes, and allowed myself to begin to believe in the impossible. And the scariest part of it is, it all makes sense. None of that would have happened if it weren't for Hudson's continual push/pull with regards to her lies and her secrets.

I don't know why I kept the information Nixon gathered for me on Hudson and her family. When she asked me to stop investigating her, I had every intention of doing so. I planned on focusing on the cause of the meteors, the ship that my father was certain had been found and the octagonal disk that disappeared from my home in the storm. None of it seemed connected in any way; none of it seemed to make any sense. And then Hudson showed me the caves.

At first, I thought they were simply another piece to the puzzle, not meant to make any more sense other than the fact that the key I no longer had in my possession had something to do with them. But Hudson changed all that. With her silence, with her lies, with her stupid excuses for everything and nothing, the final piece fell into place.

She's the key to all of it. Her innocence is a cover for the secret she hides. She's not like the rest of us. She wasn't simply affected by the meteor shower.

She was the cause.

I'm insane for thinking it. And yet, it all makes so much damn sense I don't know why I didn't see it before. It explains everything. Her adoption (though I have yet to figure out how my father fits in to making that happen), the almost hermit-like privacy of her family, the accident, the events around town where she always shows up as some modern day heroine, her lies, her fear, the final information that Nixon had collected which he was so certain I would be willing to pay anything for. The more I think through every moment spent with Hudson, the more it all adds up.

I wanted to ask her. I wanted to confront her with everything and just hold on to that thread of hope that she'll be honest with me, just this once. But after the recent confrontation with her, I know it will get me nowhere. There is no trust between us. She can't take responsibility for who and what she is yet because she is still a child. Her parents have instilled this fear inside of her, not only of keeping her secret from the world at large, but especially keeping it from anyone with the name Luthor.

Yes, I do believe that Hudson Kent, whatever she may be, loves me. I just don't believe she loves me as much as she should, as much as I want her to. Even attempting to imagine someone sharing a secret with me as big as this possibly could be is astounding to me. I can't begin to imagine how I'd have reacted if she'd come to me with the truth. Now, I find I don't care anymore. If she doesn't trust me, then I'll just have to find the answers on my own.

I glance up from my musings as Professor Frederick Walden enters the study. Closing the book I was staring at, I turn my attention to him. "Professor. I just got off the phone with Catmus Labs."

He slips his hands into his pockets, affecting that pompous attitude that just makes me want to knock his pointed little head off of his shoulders. "The dissection is done, I take it."

I nod and smile a little. "The creature's physiology is completely unique. Its DNA is unlike anything on this earth."

Walden frowns in disbelief. "Are you suggesting that these parasites are somehow alien in origin?"

Refusing to give too much away, I simply reply, "I'm hoping the symbols on the cave walls might answer that question."

Walden nods. "Then I better get to work."

Stopping him, I add, "Before I allow you to continue, I'm afraid you're going to have to make a few concessions, Professor."

"We've already negotiated my fee," he replies arrogantly.

I can't help but smile at that. "This isn't about money. You're going to give Hudson Kent unfettered access to the cave."

Walden comes just within the boundaries of rolling his eyes. "Just what exactly is your fascination with this girl and her penchant for poking around an ancient archeological dig?"

Oh no, Professor. You don't get quite that much. "My instincts tell me Hudson knows a lot more about that cave than she's letting on," I answer simply.

His gaze narrows a bit before he shrugs. "Fine. Whatever. But if she destroys any of my research in any way, she's out of there." Without waiting for a reply, he turns and exist the study.

And what do I do if I get the proof I'm looking for? What if my hypothesis is correct? What if I'm not crazy?

Then I can confront her. I can show her that I know the truth, that she can't hide it anymore, that she has to trust me. Because if I can figure it all out, then so can my father. And without me to protect her, Hudson doesn't stand a chance against him. I wish she could understand that. I want to give her another chance. I want to stop feeling like this – like I'll do anything to find out the truth to her secrets just so that I can feel like I'm a part of her life. That I'm important to her.

I can admit to myself that it's taking over my life. I've lost sight of so many other things in my need to know the truth that I've even lost my company over it. Helen's right – this relationship isn't healthy for me. She doesn't understand how much I love Hudson, though. How happy she has made me in the past.

In the past... That's the key. A relationship has to grow to last, and Hudson seems to want to keep playing that teenage romance game, where it could all be over the next day, and let's just live for the now. I can't do that anymore. I want to know that I have something to hold on to. That I'll have her to hold on to.

I want to give her the chance to explain herself. I want the truth. I want... so many things in life that I'll never have.

Hudson

I hurry up the loft stairs to see Lex sitting on the couch, still wearing his coat, waiting for me. Flashing him a hesitant smile, I pause on the top step, caught between wanting to blurt out an apology for my recent behavior, and pretending it never happened. How can I possibly explain to him that some alien parasite infected my friends and caused Lana to slip me a piece of red meteor rock, causing me to go all wacko again? It sounds preposterous, even to me.

"Lex," I breathe, watching the cloud of cold air as it drifts upwards and disappears. "Mom said you were waiting for me."

He nods; still saying nothing, gaze intent on my shoes, as if he just can't bring himself to look at me, before finally meeting my eyes. I shift a little under his regard before taking a few steps forward.

"I... uh... guess I owe you an apology." I shove my hands into the pockets of my pullover and kick at the floor. "I'm sorry, Lex. I mean, for my behavior the other day... And Chloe. She... she feels really bad for what she said to you."

No change in expression. Lex stands, hands in the pocket of his coat. "Does this apology come with an explanation?" He asks quietly.

Explanation? Drugs? Alcohol?

Lex won't buy either of those from me.

"I... was angry," I answer, gnawing on my lower lip. "When you said I couldn't go to the caves anymore, I just... I shouldn't have blamed you. I know it wasn't your fault. But I couldn't help but think that you're... well, you're Lex Luthor. People have to do what you say. And I just felt you could have fought a little harder with Dr. Walden to let me in."

"Is that so?" Lex stares at me before nodding and then walking slowly to the edge of the loft, back to me. "You decided to steal my car, call me a liar and tell me to stay out of your life because you were... having a temper tantrum?"

When he put it like that... Fuck. "I guess."

Lex turns back to me, brow furrowed. "And why the interest in the caves, Hudson? What is so important about them that you are willing to jeopardize our relationship just to gain access to them?"

My eyes widen in panic as I quickly move across the loft to him. "No! No, that isn't it at all, Lex! I would never do anything to – You mean everything to me!"

"You haven't answered the question."

I open my mouth to protest but can read the expression in Lex's eyes – he doesn't want to hear it. "Joseph," I reply finally. "I feel like I owe it to his people."

"I see."

Lex watches me in silence a moment longer before walking past, back to the couch where he stands, hands still in his pockets, staring down at the cushions. I shift again from one foot to the other, waiting for inevitable yelling or throwing of things or maybe a stinging set-down where he will tell me how childish I've been. And I'll cry, and he'll hold me, and we'll kiss and make up, and everything will be better.

"I have something for you."

My head snaps up at that, and I watch in confusion as he pulls a small velvet box from inside of his coat, holding it out to me. I royally pissed him off, treated him like shit, evaded his questions, and now he's giving me a present? Blinking in confusion, I walk over to him, taking the box from his hands.

"What is it?"

"Something I bought for you a few weeks ago."

I watch him a moment before returning my gaze to the small gift in my hands. Slowly, I open the box, a gasp escaping me at the contents inside. It's a gold heart locket, with a brilliant diamond set in the center. Around it the word 'Angel' is inscribed. Gently, I reach inside, lifting the delicate chain and holding the necklace up in front of my face.

"Oh, Lex... " I'm not certain what to say. "It's... it's so beautiful."

Taking it from my fingers, Lex motions for me to turn around, which I do, and he loops the pendant around my neck as I hold up her hair. I touch the heart where it lays against the hollow of my neck, marveling at the idea of owning something so obviously expensive.

"Lex, I... I don't understand. If you bought this for me awhile ago, why did you wait so long to give it to me?"

More silence. I turn to look up at him but he won't meet my gaze. Instead, he reaches out and brushes his fingers lightly against my throat before shoving his hands back into his pocket and walking past me. I follow him with my eyes, wondering why everything seems so... wrong.

"Do you remember when we first met?"

I frown at the question. Technically, we first met when we were little, but I can't really tell him that. "Yes. I remember diving off of the bridge after you."

Lex's shoulders tense just a bit, and then he nods. "I remember looking up into the face of an angel. Your dark hair was even surrounded by the sunlight, just like a halo. I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven."

"Lex – "

"I wanted so much to be a part of your life, Hudson." He turns back to me, a soft smile on his face. "Maybe I forced my way in; I wanted to be there so badly. I've made mistakes, that much is certain. Pushed, when maybe I shouldn't have. I woke up in Heaven, and I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to be relegated back to the Hell I'd come to know as my life."

My face grows warm with embarrassment at being referred to so reverently. I don't deserve it. Not after all of my lies, my secret distrust. Lex deserves so much more from me, and he doesn't even know it.

"Back in Metropolis, drugs and alcohol and breaking the law were my means of escape. I could forget I was a Luthor, forget the future my father had carved out so neatly for me. I was on a one-way trip to self-destruction and I didn't really give a damn at the time," Lex tells me with a shrug.

"But you gave that up," I interject with a slight smile, hoping that the conversation will get a little better at some point. Maybe make more sense than it is to me at the moment. "You moved to Smallville and started over."

Lex nods, regarding me thoughtfully. "Yes. I did. You gave me a new lease on life when you pulled me out of that river, Hudson. And for that, I thank you."

I start to smile until he continues, "But, obsession in any form is a bad thing, Angel."

"I... I don't understand."

Lex walks back to me, eyes holding my own. "Hudson, I gave up all of that, in part, because it caused me to lose sight of who I was. But what I hadn't realized, until recently, was that I only gave up one obsession in place of another. I wanted so much to lose myself in this new, ideal life I imagined, that I didn't notice it had as many consequences as any other addiction."

I can feel a cold dread beginning to grow in my stomach. Belatedly, I'm beginning to realize that he hasn't kissed me hello, his hands didn't linger on the back of my neck when he clasped the necklace -- he hasn't really touched me at all beyond the quick touch of the pendant. And the way he is looking at me is almost as if...

"Lex." I swallow back the fear that is rising. "Please, tell me that – "

"It's over, Hudson."

I wince as his words seemed to echo through the silence of the barn. Breath catching in my throat, I shake my head, vision becoming blurred. "No... Lex, if this is about what happened – "

He reaches out and touches my cheek – the briefest contact – but I can't help but move into it.

"Deep inside, we always knew it couldn't last, Angel. We're from two different worlds, and the more we fight against it, the more those worlds clash. I'm never going to be the person you need me to be, and you're too young to understand that yet. One of us has to know when to say stop."

"No!" I grab his hand, panic rising. "Please, Lex! Please, give me another chance. Whatever it is, I'll change. I'll make you happy. Please, tell me what I need to do and I'll do it!"

There's a long moment of silence where the tiniest thread of hope begins to grow in my heart, and then he replies, "If you really meant that, we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation."

And all of my lies come crashing down around me. Every untruth I've spoken to him, every story I've concocted, every choice I've made to go down one path when I should have chosen another is suddenly, and cruelly, tossed back in my face.

"This is about Helen, isn't it?" I throw at him. "You're in love with her."

"This has nothing to do with Helen." Lex sighs and glances away for a moment before returning his attention back to me. His jaw is flexing, like there's something he wants to say but doesn't know how to say it. Finally, "I don't like the person I've become with you."

I feel tears spring to my eyes as I stare up at him, as I fight back the bile that is rising in the back of my throat. The only thing that has ever actually made sense in my world is suddenly being snatched away. I'm supposed to help Lex; I'm supposed to be good for him. Instead, the opposite has been achieved. We bring out the worst in each other. I bring out the worst in us.

Apparently affected by my tears, Lex moves closer, reaching up to brush my tears away with his fingertips. "Don't cry, Angel," he tells me softly, cupping my face. "You know I can't stand your tears."

But how can I not?

"I love you, Lex," I sob, closing my eyes to feel his touch, wishing I could pretend this isn't happening. "Please don't... I love you!"

"I know you do." He leans forward and kisses my forehead. "But... it isn't enough."

"No... "

My chest hurts; my stomach is roiling, head pounding. I can't get sick, can't have my bones broken, can't die from anything this planet can think up to throw at me – and yet, I'm more than certain that right now my heart is tearing into pieces inside of me.

"Please, don't leave me... "

"I'll always be here, Angel," Lex tells me, lifting my chin up to meet his gaze. "You'll always be an important part of my life. But you can't be my life, Hudson. I can't give you that anymore." He kisses my cheek.

And then he's walking away, walking toward the stairs and out of the loft and I've never felt so scared in my life. Everything I believe in seems to be careening out of control suddenly, and nothing seems right anymore. He has no right to do this to me! No right to turn my world upside down over and over and over again!

Turning to him, unreasonable rage flowing over me, I yell, "You can take your stupid payoff with you, too, then!"

Lex looks back at me as I rip the chain from my neck and throw it at him. It lands on the loft floor at his feet before sliding through the wooden slats to the barn below. Lifting his eyes back to me, Lex stares for only a moment before continuing on his way out the door.

"No." I gaze at the empty space in front of me, realizing what I've done. "No! Lex! Wait!"

I call out again as I run after him down the loft stairs. But he never falters in his step or bothers to look back.

"Lex!" I scream from the doorway as he moves toward his car. "Lex! Please... don't... "

The nausea grows worse as I sob, clinging to the doorframe as Lex climbs into his car and backs down the drive. Sliding to the floor, I can feel the cool earth against my knees as I cry, thin splinters snapping off the wooden frame as I watch the sports car disappear from sight.