EPISODE SEVENTEEN
RETRIBUTION
And like a fool who will never see the truth,
I keep thinking something's gonna change.
Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough – Patti Smith & Don Henley
"So I was going to tell him."
Lana looked up from the text book in her lap, studying Hudson as she balanced on the railing of the porch, twirling a basketball on her finger. "Tell?" She frowned.
"Tell Lex," Hudson replied with a slight snort. "Tell him.. you know, everything."
Eyes widening, Lana set her pen aside and leaned forward. "You were? When? Are you still going to?"
Pursing her lips, Hudson stared down at the ball in her hands. "I was going to… it was two weeks ago, when I saw him with Helen."
"Oh." Lana's shoulders drop and she leans back once more, running her fingers over the pages of her book. "I see."
"I can't believe he dumped me for her – and then lied about it!"
"Hudson, just because they've gone out a few times doesn't mean that he broke up with you just to do that. Look at the situation from Lex's perspective – there are a lot of weird things that go on with you that can't be explained unless you know the truth, as I do. And Lex has been, unfortunately, caught up in a lot of it. Anyone could see why he's frustrated."
"So you think I should have told him?"
Sighing, Lana shook her head. "Honestly, Hudson, I don't know. Your parents have a point regarding Lex's father and the danger he represents just by being a part of Lex's life, and consequently yours. But… I don't see how a relationship can last built on lies."
"Well, I sure as hell can't tell him now."
"No. I guess you can't." Lana watched her friend for a moment in silence before commenting quietly, "They've been to the Talon twice together this week."
Hudson nodded, chewing on her lower lip. "I think Lex is flaunting the fact that he's with her in my face."
"Or, he could be trying to get you used to it."
"Just who's side are you on?"
Lana rolled her eyes. "Yours, of course. I'm just saying…. Well, you said he still wanted to be friends, right?"
"Yeah. Friends." Hudson slid off of the railing and walked to the end of the porch, dribbling the ball before her. "I wanted to break something when he stopped me for that little chat. It's like he expects me to go to dinner with the two of them or stop by for pool or something."
Lana remained silent, uncertain of what to say. In a way, she was going through the same thing. Whitney had a new girlfriend, some college cheerleader, and occasionally he emailed, talking about her. The difference was, Lana didn't have to deal with that in her face day after day. Not to mention, she was mostly over Whitney, except for those few pangs of regret where she wished she could have done something to have made it last between them. Hudson didn't have that luxury. She was still full blown in love with Lex, and at the moment, her hurt was still in a stage of blazing fury.
"Mom says that if I really love him, then I should be happy for him," Hudson continues quietly, leaning against the wall beside the screen door. "She said that Lex needs an adult relationship in his life, and I just can't give him that. I think her and dad are relieved."
"I wish I could make it better for you," Lana commented softly.
Hudson smiled at that, wishing she could express to her friend how much that meant to her. For days after the incident with the parasites that had infected both Chloe and Lana, she'd been unable to look her friends in the eyes. They may not have remembered what occurred while the three of them were running around town wreaking havoc, but she sure as hell did. The affects of the red meteor rock to her behavior were frightening. Everything that mattered to her seemed to disappear, every care, every fear, every worry. She felt as invincible as she knew her body was – when she was on it, she didn't even really fear the green meteor rock. She feared nothing; she wanted everything. And Chloe and Lana had simply been added to that want list for those few short hours. On that high, she knew who she could take advantage of, and she did so, hating herself for it afterwards.
A familiar honk broke Hudson from her thoughts and she glanced out to the driveway to see Lex pulling up, with some guy she'd never seen before sitting in the passenger seat. Sighing, she pushed away from the wall and glanced at Lana.
"Just what I don't need," she muttered as she started down the steps.
Putting her book to the side, Lana got to her feet and followed her friend out past the white picket fence where Lex was emerging from his car.
"Hey," Lex called out, smiling, the afternoon sun glinting off of his sunglasses before waving a hand toward his passenger who was moving around to join them. "I want you to meet somebody. This is my brother, Lucas."
Hudson blinked, glancing from Lex to Lucas and back again. Beside her, Lana remained silent in equal shock.
Lucas nodded to both of them, though his gaze lingered on Hudson. "What's up?"
An uncomfortable silence followed, where Lucas and Hudson spent the next few moments sizing one another up, while Lex sat between them, smiling as if his life were complete. Knowing that she needed to do something to disperse the tension, Lana flashed Lucas a quick smile.
"Would you like some fresh lemonade, Lucas?" She offered. "Mrs. Kent just made it."
Lucas glanced over at Lex before shrugging. "Sure. Why not? When in Rome, right?" He grinned.
Lana gave him a quizzical look but turned and started back toward the porch, Lucas following.
"I didn't mean to drop a bombshell on you."
Hudson glanced back at Lex, blinking. "It wouldn't be the first time, now would it?"
Lex set his jaw and looked away toward the porch.
Mentally kicking herself for letting him see how upset she still was, Hudson took a breath and tried again. "I thought he was supposed to be… well, uh, dead."
Leaning against his car, Lex shook his head and smiled without humor. "Just buried by my father. I've been looking for him for several months."
Hudson frowned, kicking at the dirt. He'd been looking for his brother all the time that they were together, and yet never mentioned a thing about it to her. And yet, he dumped her over keeping secrets? Hypocrite.
"Why didn't you say something?" She asked.
"Well, because I wasn't sure what I was going to find," he replied, turning his gaze back to her. It was the truth, though he didn't really see the need to explain himself to someone who never afforded him the same courtesy.
Hudson mulled that over as she continued to dig the toe of her boot into the dirt She flashed a surreptitious look at Lex, thinking how glad she was that he was wearing his sunglasses, that she certainly didn't want to stare into his pretty blue eyes or anything. It was still unfair that he always had to look so good, so composed, so unruffled. She thought he should at least regret breaking up with her or something. If only she could come up with a way to make him regret it, make him see how stupid it was, and that she was better than ugly old Helen Bryce any day. After all, Helen was funny looking and too old and definitely not worthy of the hotness of Lex.
Lex's phone gave a shrill at that moment, pulling Hudson from her thoughts of revenge. She watched curiously as he looked over the display screen with a frown.
"I've got to go and straighten out something with the bank," he tells her before glancing toward the porch. "Lucas, we have to get going."
Oh no! Hudson thought, gaze narrowing as she stared at Lex. She wasn't letting his brother go without doing some digging of her own. She wanted to know who this new person was in Lex's life, and why Lex seemed to feel the need to flaunt the fact that he now has both a new girlfriend and a new brother to her.
As Lucas approached, Hudson turned to him and offered out of the blue, "Hey, uh, you can hang out here if you want." When she realized Lex was looking over at her in surprise, she shrugged and added, "Give me a chance to get to know him a little bit."
Eyeing her for a just a moment, Lucas nodded with a slight smile. "Sure. Why not?"
"I'll be back in an hour then," Lex replied, pushing away from his car and flashing them both a smile.
Hudson stepped back, watching silently as Lex drove off before turning around to find Lucas watching her, still smiling just a little. Wondering at his stare, she turned back toward the porch, picking up the basketball she'd discarded earlier to play with it some more on the steps.
"So, Lex tells me you two used to go out," Lucas commented as he followed her.
She'd have to tell Lex exactly what she thought of him running around telling people things that were none of their business. "Yeah. So?"
Lucas shrugged as he leaned against the railing. "So, it seems like a weird match is all. Farm girl, rich city boy."
"There's a lot more between them than just that," Lana offered defensively.
"He's a little old for you, don't you think?"
Hudson frowned. "I don't really see how it's any of your business."
"Just making conversation." Lucas grinned.
Silence began to grow heavy around them until Lana asked, "So, uh, Lucas where did you grow up?"
"All over."
"It must be kind of weird, growing up having had no idea who your mom or dad were."
"Not really. Parents always try to make you little versions of them selves. When you grow up without those constraints, you're allowed to become your own person."
Lana frowned a bit and glanced over at Hudson before returning a displeased gaze at Lucas. "I grew up without my parents. And frankly, I have to say I would love to have had a bit of their input into the person I'm becoming."
Hudson nodded. "It's an interesting theory. I don't buy it, though."
"All right." Lucas nodded. "Let's, uh, let's take you and Lex, for example. If he were raised by your parents and you were raised by Lionel, you wouldn't grow up to be different people?"
Hudson tried to picture Lex growing up on the farm and had to bite back a smile. And the idea of her growing up under Lionel… no, she couldn't even allow that image in her mind. Still, she couldn't imagine there would be that much of a difference between them. She'd know what it was like to have anything she wanted when she wanted it, and Lex wouldn't. How much more different could it be.
She began to reply, "Well, I...
"Trust me," Lucas interrupted with an amused grin. "you'd be rich and miserable, and he'd be wearing flannel. But if you were left totally alone, abandoned by your parents, how do you think you'd turn out?"
Hudson frowned. "I'm not sure. "
She didn't like to think that Lex was rich and miserable, and she somehow had something better than he did, simply because their parents were so different. For some reason, that seemed much worse to her than simple financial differences. She knew Lex and Lionel had their problems, but she'd like to believe that their relationship really wasn't all that different from any other family that had problems.
"It's when you find out what you're really made of," Lucas answered, gaze dropping to the ball in her hands. "So, can you actually play with that thing? Or do you just enjoy fondling balls?"
Lana gasped a little at his innuendo, but Hudson found a slight grin, thinking this was the first spark of Lucas that actually reminded her of Lex.
"Why don't you try me and find out?" She replied.
Twirling the ball on her finger in an effort to show off, she quickly tossed it to him and then started down the steps and out toward the area in front of the shed where her dad set up her basketball hoop. She didn't play much any more, though when she was younger, her and Pete played all of the time. Then again, it wasn't as if she had to practice. Her abilities made her naturally talented in most sports.
Spinning around, she waited as Lucas joined her, Lana following behind, looking less than pleased by the recent turn of events. Hudson took her place where the top of the key of the court would be and nodded toward Lucas.
"Check it up," she called out as Lucas got into position in front of her.
The ball tossed between them before Lucas moved in position to guard Hudson as she headed toward the basket. Shooting from where she stood, Hudson watched in dismay as the ball clanged off the rim. Mentally, she warned herself to pay more attention as Lucas caught the rebound, flashing an arrogant grin toward Hudson as he quickly went on the offensive. Purposely bumping into Hudson as they switched positions on the court, Hudson rolled her eyes at his showboating, before glancing over at Lana who was nibbling on her lip worriedly from the sidelines.
"Hudson, be careful," she warned softly.
Hudson nodded before getting in position to guard Lucas. With a quick spin move, he darted easily around Hudson and laid the ball into the basket. Catching it as it slipped through the net, Lucas tossed the ball to Hudson as passed one another, grinning cockily once more. Hudson couldn't help looking over at Lana again and rolling her eyes with a slight grin. She really couldn't understand why this guy seemed to think so much of himself, when she really hadn't been trying yet. Didn't he know that just because she was a girl didn't mean she couldn't smoke his ass? Never mind that his supposed moves seemed to be impressing Lana just a bit.
They passed the ball off to one another once more as Lucas prepared to go on the offensive again. He got past Hudson to shoot the ball a second time, but this time, Hudson is paying attention and makes an almost impossibly high leap, blocking the shot against the backboard and grabbing the ball. She dribbled away, giving Lucas a cocky smile of her own as she passed him, enjoying the expression of disbelief on his face.
Taking her turn on the offensive, she decided it was time to stop playing around and show him that there was nothing wrong with Lex for wanting to date her. Glaring at Lucas, she quickly ran past him, heading for the basket, leaping high into the air. Clearing several more feet than should have been possible, she slammed the ball home into the net with a windsailing slam-dunk. Dropping to the ground, she grinned once more at Lana before flashing a look of triumph in Lucas' direction. On the sidelines, Lana bit her lip, worry sweeping over her that Hudson would allow her competitive nature to get in the way of safety, and cause her to become careless with her powers. She hurried over to her, inserting herself between the two players.
"So, white girls can jump," Lana joked nervously, catching Hudson's gaze. "But we don't want anybody to get hurt."
Hudson shrugged, nodding a little at her friend's caution. "All right." But her focus turned right back to the game. And putting this interloper in his place.
She began dribbling the ball, as Lucas got in to position to guard her, before making a quick move toward the basket. Lucas spun in front of her to block her, swinging his arm in an attempt to steal the ball. Instead, he slammed it roughly up against Hudson's immobile body.
"Aah! "
Grimacing, Lucas stumbled back in pain from the hit, clutching his shoulder and cradling his arm. Hudson came to a stop, turning to watch him in interest as Lana moved up beside her in concern.
"Are you okay?" Lana asked as Lucas moved his arm back and forth, apparently checking to make certain it was all right.
"Yeah," he replied, his gaze intent on Hudson. "Sorry about that," he told her, as if she must have been hurt just the same as him. "No hard feelings, right? It's just a game."
"Right," Hudson replied, a little uneasily, realizing she went a little too far. All of the warnings her parents ever gave her regarding playing sports in school or with Pete were coming back to her.
"Felt like you had a steel plate in there," Lucas commented with a slight chuckle.
Hudson just smiled, knowing her father would kill her if he knew what had just happened. She heard Lana sigh beside her and knew she'd be receiving a lecture from that end as well.
"Any chance I could get a ride back to the mansion?" Lucas asked, apparently tired of playing basketball.
Or maybe he just wanted to run back and ask Lex why he was interested in a girl who was about as soft as a diamond quarry.
"I can give you a lift," Lana offered, eyes drifting up to Hudson. "I'll call you later, okay?"
Hudson nodded, her gaze catching Lucas' once more as he followed her friend toward her car. There was something… she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But there was definitely something about Lucas Luthor that couldn't be ignored.
---------------------------
prettyinpink : I'm just saying you were behaving a little recklessly, H.C. Lucas could have been injured a lot more than he was.
farmgirl86 : He was the one throwing himself into me, Lana. He meant to do that. To teach me a lesson or something. It wasn't my fault.
prettyinpink : sigh You shouldn't have allowed yourself to be in that position in the first place. I know it's unfair, but because of what you are, you have to be more careful than the rest of us.
farmgirl86 : You know, sometimes you sound just like my parents.
prettyinpink : Sorry. Just trying to look out for you, hon.
farmgirl86 : I know. It's just…
Hudson shook her head and sighed as she stopped typing. She really didn't know how to make Lana understand that she didn't want anyone looking out for her, she didn't need anyone looking out for her. Couldn't they trust the alien to make the right decisions for once??
farmgirl86 : I'm going to go. Mom's pie is calling to me.
prettyinpink : Okay. Talk to you tomorrow. hugs
farmgirl86: hugs
Turning off her instant messenger and shutting the monitor off, Hudson got up from behind her desk and made her way into the hall, hurrying down the stairs toward the kitchen. She glanced toward the family room where her mom and dad were sitting in their easy chairs, mom with the paper in her lap, dad reading one of his favorite western books. Smiling, she returned her attention to her goal – a piece of her mom's delicious blueberry pie. Unfortunately, her goal was postponed by the ringing of the doorbell.
"I'll get it," she called out, spinning on her heel to make her way down the hallway to the door.
She pulled it open and stared in surprise at Lex as he stood there on the front porch, looking up at her with a slightly uncertain expression.
"Umm… hey, Lex," she greeted, wondering if this was the point where he asked her to go on date with him and his new girlfriend so that they could 'get to know' one another.
"Hudson," he greeted softly. "I'm sorry to bother you."
"No problem." She shrugged, still thinking of the piece of pie she was currently missing out on. Curiously she asked, "Is everything all right?"
"No, it's not," came the reply, and Lex's expression darkened slightly.
Hudson couldn't stop herself from hoping that Helen dumped him on his ass, and he was crawling to her, begging for forgiveness.
"Lex, what is it?" Martha asked with concern, stepping up beside her daughter, with Jonathan following.
Lex took a deep breath, glancing between the family members. "According to my father, I'm… uh, no longer a Luthor. He's left me with nothing, not even a place to live. So, I… uh… was wondering… "
He paused, his gaze drifting over to Jonathan nervously. "If… I could stay with you for a while?"
Hudson blinked at the request, and then promptly burst into laughter. "You're kidding, right?"
"H.C.," Martha warned.
"You're not seriously considering his request, are you?" She demanded angrily, setting her hands on her hips. "He dumped me and now you're just going to invite him into the house? Why doesn't he just go stay with his girlfriend?"
"Hudson Kent!" Martha snapped at her daughter, pushing her aside to pull the door open further. "I thought I instilled some manners into you, but apparently I was mistaken. If you'd like to go to your room, please be my guest."
"I'm sorry," Lex began softly. "She's right. I shouldn't be here. I'll just – "
"You'll come on inside, Lex," Martha interrupted, taking his arm and tugging him into the house. "Of course you can stay with us. For as long as you need." She shook her head, clucking like a mother hen. "I know it's none of my business, but even with working for your father, I still don't understand him."
"Join the club," Lex commented, his gaze straying to Hudson who was standing off to the side, glaring at them. Knowing he wasn't prepared to face her just yet, Lex instead turned his attention to Jonathan. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, Mr. Kent, but I didn't really know where else to go. Helen is out of town and… well, there is no one else."
Jonathan watched Lex silently for a tense moment, his gaze obviously uncertain. But Martha was already helping Lex take his coat off, and he really had no intention of setting the boy out on his ass in the middle of the night with no where to go. Lionel Luthor may be that kind of man, but he wasn't.
"It's all right, Lex. You were right to come here. We have plenty of room."
Their daughter made a noise from the corner, but her parents were ignoring her vocal protests. Both of them understood that this would make for an uncomfortable situation but it wasn't enough for them to every consider not opening their home to someone who needed help. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them that it was time Hudson learned this lesson for herself.
"Come on, Lex," Martha called to him with a smile as she started up the stairs. "I'll show you to the guest room."
"This is intolerable," Hudson snorted, stomping past them toward the kitchen. She disappeared, muttering something about doctors.
Lex picked up the small bag he'd packed, glancing after Hudson briefly, wondering if he should just find a place to stay in a local motel. He had a few hundred dollars on him in cash, but he'd been hoping to use what he could to get the information he needed to battle his father in this latest contest. He hated the fact that he'd been so blindsided, that never for a moment he would have considered his father doing this to him. It was further than he'd ever gone before. If there was one thing Lex had ever been certain of, it was his position in his father's life as his heir, the person meant to take the helm of Luthorcorp one day. But then, that was before he'd stupidly invited Lucas into the picture.
"I'm sorry if I've caused problems," Lex told Martha as he followed her down the second floor hall to the small room in the corner. "I didn't really think, and I found myself here."
"It's natural for you to come here, Lex," she replied with a smile as she turned on the overhead light and began shuffling around the room, preparing the bed. "Hudson was your friend, and this place was your refuge long before there was ever more between the two of you."
Lex thought that there'd been something more between from the moment they met, but kept it to himself. Instead, he set his bag to the side of the room and commented, "I never meant to hurt Hudson, Mrs. Kent."
Martha hugged one of the decorative pillows to her and turned to smile slightly at their guest. "Oh, Lex. Jonathan and I don't blame you for the decision you made, or how it's affected Hudson. I know it couldn't have been easy for you, but in the end I'm sure it's the best for you both. Hudson's just so young, and I can't help but think you're at a very important crossroads in your life, where you're attempting to strike out on your own. It's obvious how much you two care about one another, but… this just wasn't the right time, I don't think."
"No. I guess we were trying to force something that neither of us were ready for," Lex replied, though he really wanted to point the blame on Hudson's lies. He doubted that her mother would take that very well from him, especially if his suspicions were true.
That didn't really matter right now, though. He had more important things to deal with.
"Let me get you a set of towels," Martha told him as she turned down the comforter. "Breakfast will be on the table by six-thirty. Please make yourself feel at home, Lex." She reached out to touch his arm as she passed by him. "We're here for you as long as you need us."
"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," Lex returned with a half-smile, touched at the easy acceptance with which she took him into her home. Once again, he forced himself to tamp down the jealousy he felt over Hudson's family.
Running his hand over his head, Lex turned to look around the room that was to become his home for the next few days until he got this matter straightened out with his father. It was small – only big enough for a double bed, nightstand, and tall narrow dresser that was tucked in the corner. There was a tiny, paned window that faced the east, covered with white lace curtains, and the furniture was all in light oak, recently dusted and shining from furniture polish. He walked over to the bed, running his fingers over the white eyelet coverlet, embroidered in tiny blue flowers. He knew people that would roll his eyes at the room and it's décor, calling it quaint, wondering if Laura Ingalls and her family lived here. But Lex loved it. He felt comfortable here, welcomed.
"You've got some real nerve, you know that?"
Lex turned at the voice to find Hudson leaning against the doorframe, a pile of light blue towels in her arms, glaring at him. He swallowed, thinking of something to say, finally replying, "What else would you like me to do, Hudson?"
"Actually, I can think of quite a few things I'd like you to do," she quipped, moving forward to deposit the towels on the end of the bed. "But my parents would ground me for years if they heard me."
Jaw flexing, Lex glanced toward his bag. "If you'd prefer I go elsewhere, then simply say so. I'm sure I can find a motel – "
"Oh, stop it with the whole martyr thing, Lex. I'm sick of you trying to make me feel guilty for everything."
Lex's eyes flashed with anger. "Do you think I asked for this, Hudson? Any of it? My life was just fine, and then it all went to Hell, and don't act so damn innocent, either."
Hudson frowned, growing silent as she looked away toward the window. Sighing, she walked over to it, closing the pull-down blind that hid behind the curtains, and then turned her attention to pulling the curtains shut, making certain they were just perfect. The action relaxed Lex somewhat, as he realized that there was one trait in Hudson that would never disappear, no matter what occurred between them – her need to care for others. He wondered if she developed the trait from watching her mother as she grew up, or if it was something inbred from her biological parents. Were they good people, too? If so, why did they give her up? And if he was right about his suspicions, why did they send her here?
Worrying her lip, Hudson turned from the window, leaning back against the wall. "I am sorry about what's happened, Lex. Is this because of Lucas?"
Surprised that talking about his current situation seemed easier than talking about the past, Lex nodded. "Apparently my father feels that having a new heir to take my place is easier than dealing with me. So he's turned Lucas against me, cast me out… I have nothing and no one."
It was on the tip of Hudson's tongue to tell him that he still had her, but she found she wasn't ready to give him that. Not yet. Maybe not ever again. He's the one who walked away, and she didn't want to grovel at his feet, begging him to leave Helen and come back to her. If anyone had to grovel, it would be him.
"Well, mom makes the best pancakes in the county," she told him finally, forcing a smile. "If those can't put a smile on your face, nothing will."
Pushing away from the wall, she started back toward the door, giving him another quick smile as she passed by. "See you in the morning, I guess. The bed's pretty comfortable but just let mom or me know if you need more blankets."
"I'll be fine, Hudson. Thank you."
Nodding briefly, Hudson stared at him a moment longer before exiting the room.
Lex closed the door behind her, and then moved over to the bed to sit down and pull off his shoes. He knew it might have made sense to others if he'd gone to Helen's to stay instead, but that would have been a mistake for the relationship that was developing between them. He certainly couldn't show up at his girlfriend's door, after spending only three weeks together, and ask her if he could move in for a while. It made him look weak, as if he couldn't take care of his own problems, and it gave her far too much insight as to the real problems with his father. She might not want him after that, might not want to take a chance on a man who couldn't keep his own life together, let alone balance a relationship as well. Lex had enough marks against him as far as Helen was concerned when it came to his past with Hudson.
Slipping off his shirt, he laid back against the bed, tucking his arm beneath his head and staring up at the scalloped overhead light. Being on the Kent farm would allow him some time to clear his head, to approach this situation with his father from a different angle. He knew he'd find peace here that he might not elsewhere, even with the complications shared with Hudson. If he could remain focused, and not get sidetracked with other endeavors, then maybe he wouldn't have to rely on the Kent's hospitality for too long.
When he closed his eyes, Lex realized this was the first time in a long time that he knew he could sleep without fear. Here, in the house of his Angel, he was safe.
--------------------------------
"So, guess who's living with us?"
Lana looked up from the stack of applications in front of her and stared at Hudson blankly with her question. "What? Is this a trick question? Hudson, I have no idea who would be living with you."
"Lex."
A blink. "Wha – come again?"
"Lex is living with us," Hudson announced matter-of-factly as she slipped onto one of the stools at the bar and grabbed the stack of applications to flip through as she continued, "In the guest room next to mine. We had breakfast this morning, all four of us, real cozy-like."
Lana shook her head. "How… ?"
"Apparently, with that brother of his risen from the grave or whatever, Lex's father has decided he has no use whatsoever for his rebellious son and has disinherited him, disowned him, kicked him out, stripped him of his money – and anything else you might think of."
"That's just… " Lana shook her head in disbelief. "A little harsh, don't you think? I mean, I can't believe it."
Hudson set the papers back down in front of her friend. "What I can't believe is he had the nerve to just show up on our porch step and ask to move in! Or that my mother was all like 'Oh, poor Lexy poo! Please, come in. Never mind that you ripped out our daughter's heart and stomped all over it in your expensive shoes. I'll feed you and give you a warm bed!'"
Lana didn't even attempt to keep from laughing at Hudson's mimicry. "It couldn't have been that bad."
"Oh no? I thought she was about to give him my room!"
"Well, don't you feel sorry for him?" Lana asked, watching Hudson closely.
Hudson dropped her gaze, as if her fingernails were suddenly the most fascinating thing on earth to her. "Well, yeah. Of course I do. I mean, do you think I didn't want to offer him my room and keep him there, safe and as far away from his father as possible?" She glanced up at Lana, frowning a little. "But that doesn't mean he deserves as much from me. It doesn't mean I'm just going to forgive and forget and pretend like it never happened."
"No. No, you shouldn't," Lana replied, reaching out to touch her hand. "But still, you love him, Hudson. No matter what he's done to you, that hasn't changed. And I don't think you should ignore it. The more you fight it, the worse it's going to hurt you."
"I can't give him that much yet, Lana." Hudson shook her head. "Not when all I want to do every time I see him is scream at him."
"How were things this morning?"
Hudson glanced up at her and smiled a little. "Weird. I mean, Lex was outside doing all of these chores – even mucking out the stalls. AJ was following him around; it was so cute. And Lex – Lex seemed so happy. We talked about his past a little and he was smiling in a way that special way that he so rarely does… "
Trailing off, she sighed and dropped her head once more. "It hurts whenever I look at him," she whispered.
"Oh, sweetie!" Lana squeezed her hand. "I wish I could make it better for you. I wish I could make it all go away."
Nodding, Hudson forced a smile to her face. "I know. Thank you for that."
"Why don't we change the subject to something happier?"
Doubting that there was anything she could talk about that didn't involve thoughts of Lex, Hudson searched her mind for something before her eyes focused on the applications in front of Lana. "I know. Why don't you put me in the position you're looking to fill!"
Lana blinked for a moment, shifting a little under her friend's enthusiastic gaze. Finally, she laughed. "Oh, Hudson. I almost thought you were serious."
Hudson frowned. "I am."
"Oh." Lana looked down at the applicants, wondering what would be the easiest way to tell her friend no. Maybe she should just stick with the truth. "Honey, you know I love you but… you're really not the most reliable person on earth."
Raising her gaze to Hudson's outraged look, she quickly added, "I mean, timing-wise. And it's important to make it here each day in time for your shift. You're always out there doing so much, being drawn into situations where your help is needed… what if one of those times comes up at the last second and you miss your shift? It's not fair to do to the others who work here."
"Oh, come on, Lana," Hudson whined, flashing a quick pout at her. "I need something to do to get my mind off of things, and you know mom and dad won't let me get involved in any physical activities. Please?"
Biting her lip, Lana looked away for a moment, weighing her options. She did want to help her friend out but was it worth putting the business at risk? When she asked herself that question, she found herself nodding. "I remember Lex believed in me when I wanted to start this place and we all need someone to take a chance on us." She brought her gaze back to Hudson and smiled. "When can you start?"
Hudson's eyes lit up instantly, a reaction that to Lana was worth any tardiness her new employee might incur. Just when she was about to answer, a voice cut in:
"Don't you think you should check with the boss first?"
Lana looked quickly at Hudson in confusion as Lucas moved up to the bar. Her friend shrugged in reply before glancing over at Lex's brother with a frown.
"I like the whole Egyptian/Assyrian vibe," he commented as he looked around before returning his gaze to Lana. "It's clear you've put a lot of time and effort into this place."
"Yeah, yeah. So did Lex," Lana replied, wanting to make it clear that she wasn't going to let him ignore the fact that the Talon belonged to his brother as much as her.
"Well, Lex is… uh, he's not exactly in the picture anymore."
"I don't see that there's any need for you to revel in what your father has done to Lex," Hudson snapped.
Lucas turned to her with a grin. "How's he doing down on the farm, Hudson?"
"He's doing great," she replied with a confident nod and a forced smile. "He's a survivor."
"Well, I hope that he can survive on nothing," Lucas smiles, "because anything that was his is now mine, including this place."
Lana glanced quickly at Hudson before informing him, "You should know that Lex wasn't my boss. He was my partner."
"Oh?" Lex's brother raised an eyebrow, leering slightly. "Even better."
Hudson glared as Lucas brushed past her, moving behind the counter to look around, snooping through things like he owned the place. Which, maybe by default he did now, but that didn't make it right. She glanced over to see Lana staring in confusion and disbelief, eyes tearing up, lip trembling. Hudson knew what this place meant to her friend, knew how she didn't handle it when Desiree had convinced Lex to close it down. There was no way Lana would be able to handle another disappointment like that.
Getting up from her seat, Hudson started toward the back to talk to Lucas but Lana grabbed her hand. "Don't," she told her softly.
"What? Lana, I'm not going to let that jerk barge in here and take over the Talon."
"And I appreciate that," Lana whispered, squeezing her fingers. "But it's not going to help Lex if you get involved with this, angering his brother. You can't be in the middle, Hudson."
"I'm already in the middle," Hudson told her. "The moment Lex showed up on our doorstep, he put me there. And now, with Lucas threatening you – "
"He hasn't done anything yet. Hudson, please," Lana pleaded, leaning in to her. "Just go home. I'll be fine."
Sighing, Hudson glanced toward Lucas as he exited the back room, his gaze scanning the coffeehouse before flickering over her. He flashed her a big grin.
"Hudson," Lana prompted, tugging slightly on her arm.
"Fine. But if he gives you any more trouble, you let me know. Promise?"
Lana nodded. "I promise. As long as you promise to be here on time for work tomorrow?"
Hudson smiled. "Done." She glanced over her shoulder, watching as Lucas walked past them. "Could I get two cappuccinos to go?"
"Sure."
Lana hurried back behind the counter to prepare the order while Hudson stared at Lucas as he rounded the room then finally started for the door. He looked back at her briefly, another smile flashing across his face as his eyes purposely roamed over her from head to foot. Hudson had the urge to just give him a quick flash of her heat vision – nothing that would permanently damage him, but certainly enough to cause him a little pain. Unfortunately, having the urge to do something and giving in to it were two different things. She had to be content with the image in her mind as he disappeared out the door and out of sight.
When Hudson returned home, she found her parents waiting for her in the kitchen. She set the cappuccinos down as she slipped off her coat. "What's up?" She asked.
"Harry Sanderson fell from the grain bin today and broke his leg," her dad informed her as he helped Martha into her coat. "Their cattle need to be at auction tomorrow morning, so your mom and I are going to help drive them out to Abilene tonight. We were going to take you with us but… " He trailed off and glanced toward the steps. "Unfortunately our house guest prevents that."
"Are you going to be all right alone?" Martha asked her daughter softly. "I mean, with things are how they are between you and Lex… "
Hudson shrugged, slipping her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "I'm not going to fry him into a crispy critter or anything. Don't worry. I can forget, for the most part, that you're letting the guy who ripped my heart out and stomped on it, sleep in the room next to mine."
Martha glanced at Jonathan worriedly.
Laughing, Hudson reassured them, "Everything will be fine. I promise."
"Don't let him go snooping around, H.C.," her father warned her quietly. "I mean it."
She shook her head. "I won't."
Nodding, Jonathan grabbed the small overnight bag they had packed and pulled open the door for his wife. "There's fried chicken and left over mashed potatoes in the refrigerator," her mom informed her as she started for the door. "There's also a few pieces of pie left over. Be sure to fix a salad or something. Don't just order pizza!"
"Yes, mom." Hudson leaned against the counter, watching as her dad shuffled her mom out the door. It closed behind them and she sighed. "Well, this is unexpected," she muttered, glancing toward the stairs.
Grabbing the hot beverages, she quietly made her way up the stairs, hesitating outside the guest room door only for a moment before peering inside. Lex was seated in a very uncomfortable position on his bed, his laptop in front of him, pecking away almost angrily at the keyboard. If Hudson typed with that kind of force, her fingers would have been through the desk by now.
"What did those keys ever do to you?"
Lex paused a moment, a flicker of a smile crossing his face. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to know that computer is never going to piss you off again." She moved inside the room and over to the desk, sitting one of the cappuccinos down in front of him. "Here. Fresh from the Talon."
Raising an eyebrow, Lex picked up the cup, noting that it was as hot as usual, a small clue to give credence to his theories, and one that he never overlooked. "Should I wonder what it is I'm about to drink?"
Hudson shrugged, sitting on the bed. "It's not poisoned, if that's what you think," she replied. "Old habits die hard, I guess."
"Here's to old habits then," Lex remarked, raising his cup for a moment before sipping at the hot beverage. "And thank you." He let the silence continue between them, watching Hudson over the edge of his cappuccino before asking, "Did you see your parents?"
"Yeah. They caught me on their way out. Mom said she left dinner. Are you hungry?"
Lex stared at her silently, causing Hudson to wonder if she had something sticking out of her nose or something. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah. I wouldn't mind something to eat."
"Okay. I'll go get it ready. Just… join me when you feel like it."
Relief washed over her the moment she exited the room into the hallway, and Hudson wondered at it. She'd never once been uncomfortable around Lex in the time they'd known one another, but now she suddenly was. She didn't know what to say or how to behave. And always, deep inside of her, there was this overwhelming urge to scream. She just wanted to stand there in front of him and scream at the top of her lungs, and keep screaming until something changed or he understood or maybe she understood. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Hudson thought that getting older meant she was supposed to gain some divine wisdom or something. But she still felt completely in the dark.
By the time Lex joined her in the kitchen, Hudson had their dinner warmed up and sitting on the table. She focused on the food in front of her, and the rumbling of her stomach, instead of the rightness of Lex sitting across from her. It was entirely too easy to believe that they were still together, that maybe they were living together or married and he'd spent the day at work and she had his dinner waiting for him when he arrived at home. Hudson bit down on her tongue hard, trying to make the thoughts go away. She knew that Lex was occasionally watching her, but refused to meet his gaze. She meticulously pulled apart the chicken, eating the crispy skin with a little added salt first, and then moving on to the meat. She'd tear it off the bone, and eat it, licking her fingers before diving in for another bite. When the meat was gone, she turned her attention to the potatoes, making designs in the mound with her fork before finally adding a little more butter and finishing them off. The silence between them was deafening. Hudson was certain that the sound of a pin dropping would have given them both heart attacks.
Pushing her chair back, Hudson gathered her plates and carried them over to the sink to wash them. Moments later, Lex joined her, setting his dishes on the counter beside her and grabbing the towel to dry the ones she'd finished washing. She clenched her teeth together, hating that he was standing so close to her, hating that he smelled good and actually considered it okay that he was invading her space.
"I can to do this myself, you know," she snapped, refusing to hand him the next plate.
Lex tensed slightly at her words. Apparently deciding to ignore them, he pulled harder at the plate but she wouldn't let go. He threw the dish towel onto the counter in aggravation and turned to face her.
"Dammit, Hudson. I thought you were over this."
"Over it? Over it?" She whirled around, arms akimbo as she glared up at him. "You break up with me, swearing it has nothing to do with Helen, then two seconds later you're out flaunting her around the town and at me and you expect me to be over it?? Couldn't you have been honest with me and admitted you just wanted to date her?"
"Don't you dare speak to me of honesty, Hudson Kent!" Lex replied, leaning toward her angrily. "You wouldn't know how to be honest if it slapped you in the face."
Hudson swallowed at that, unable to deny it without lying more. And yet, she couldn't just leave it there because she would be admitting that she had been lying.
"I'm sorry you can't accept what happened to me when Chloe and Lana were sick, Lex," she responded, inwardly pleased with her reply. "You're just trying to switch this around, turn the guilt on me!"
"It is on you, Hudson," Lex snapped, waving a hand toward her. "No matter how hard you try to convince yourself that this somehow all comes back to Helen, the fact is that I can't love someone who doesn't trust me."
Wincing at his words, Hudson fought back the tears that burned her eyes. "You've never been fully honest with me, either, Lex!" She accused.
"You want honesty?" Lex yelled, tired of reasoning with the child in front of him. "Fine! I'm with Helen because she's a good person, because she wants me to be a good person. She's honest, she's kind, she's mature and I don't have to deal with any childish tantrums from her!"
Tears falling, Hudson none-too-gently pushed Lex away from her before hurrying past him, desperate to get to her room where she didn't have to see him. His hand reached out to grab her arm before she could get away though, and suddenly his mouth was on hers and his tongue was pushing past her lips and Hudson swore that she hated him, even as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer.
"You're a goddamn spoiled brat," Lex whispered against her mouth, his hands moving beneath her shirt, brushing over the skin of her belly and the underside of her bra.
Hudson whimpered in reply as he pushed her back against the table, fingers working at the buttons on her jeans. She barely had time to kick her shoes off before Lex was pushing them over her hips, panties sliding along her skin. His hands moved away from her for only a moment, tugging at the zipper of his slacks and then she felt the tip of his erection probing her entrance.
"Lex," she gasped, wrapping her legs around his hips and pulling him in. "Oh, Lex…"
"Shhhh."
He nipped at her lower lip as he slowly began thrusting into her. He hated thinking it – this was where he belonged. It's where he dreamed of being on a nightly basis. Buried deep inside of her was much like being home, being safe. It wasn't like this with Helen. Sex with her was pleasurable but more like a business negotiation than love. Impersonal, detached, methodical. At times, Lex found himself preferring it to moments like these with Hudson, when he felt far too raw and open. It was easier to touch someone like this when you only cared for them, as opposed to that one person who reached deep into your soul each and every time you felt their skin against yours. When it came to Hudson, his emotions became mixed up with his desires. He didn't want to think; he only wanted to feel. But with the person who touched him like no other, he wasn't afforded that luxury. And feeling opened him up to hurt.
Hudson gasped as Lex changed his angle and pace, the power of his thrusts increasing. There was something wrong, something that was missing between them but the moment didn't give her a chance to think about it. Not when Lex's teeth clamped down on the skin of her neck, giving her a little tickle that probably should have hurt, and his hands curled around her shoulders, dragging her down to meet his thrusts. Now those she felt, inside and out, making her toes curl and her senses reel. Desperately, she cupped the back of his head and pulled him to her for another kiss, silently attempting to communicate to Lex how much she had missed him, how much it meant to her to have him back again. Surely he understood now how silly he'd been to break up with her and turn to Helen. Yes, they had their problems, and yes, she understood that her lies were unfair. But he had to see that, in the end, this was what it was all about; it was all worth it, every little problem they had. They loved each other.
"Love you," she whispered against his mouth, her hands cradling him against her like something precious and fragile. She felt his fingers curl into her skin again, clasping to her in a way that should have hurt, and then his body shuddered and she felt his warmth spilling into her.
It barely occurred to Hudson that she hadn't reached her own release, that Lex hadn't taken the extra care to touch her, to bring her to orgasm along with him. Not until she felt his body leaving hers, when the cold air reached her and that something that she knew was wrong between them hit her full force. It wasn't right; this wasn't Lex, this wasn't them. Her breath hitched in her throat as she followed him up, searching the gaze that she found herself not recognizing, if only for a moment.
"Is that enough for you?" Lex demanded angrily as he readjusted his clothing. "Is that how you want it?"
"Lex," Hudson gasped, staring at him in confusion.
"I ended it between us, Hudson. For a reason."
"No – "
Running a hand over his face in frustration, Lex shook his head, muttering, "Dammit," before turning and stalking out of the kitchen.
"Lex," Hudson whispered after him, ignoring the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. "No… "
Slipping down from the table, she tried to fight her tears back as she struggled back into her jeans. Once she had her shoes on, Hudson glanced up at the stairs.
Lex was really gone. This had just been a goodbye, and little else.
A sob escaped her at the realization and she sped out of the kitchen into the night.
------------------------
Lana had just fallen asleep when she heard the tapping at her window. She was becoming used to the occasional nightly visit from Hudson, when her friend just seemed to need someone to talk to, and she was instantly awake. Sitting up, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and padded her way quietly over to the window, pulling the curtains aside and opening it.
"Hudson, I know you can't hurt yourself but it doesn't stop the panic whenever I see you on the roof," Lana teased as her friend slipped quietly inside.
Her smile quickly fell away though, when she noticed the streaks of dried tears on her friend's face. "Hudson?" She touched her arm. "What is it?"
Dragging the sleeve of her shirt across her eyes, Hudson sniffled. "I hate him!" She whispered fiercely. "I hate him so much!"
Lana bit her lip, wincing at the sound of pain in Hudson's voice with her words. She turned quickly to shut the window and the curtains before taking her friend's hand and pulling her over to the bed to sit down. Reaching up, she brushed the fresh tears away from Hudson's eyes and then took her hands between her own.
"What happened?"
"I… I don't know," Hudson whispered, shaking her head, her voice sounding helpless and desolate. "My parents had to leave for the night and I warmed up the leftovers and we were eating dinner… and then I was washing dishes and I was so angry that Lex was there, hovering over me, forcing me to notice him and smell him and feel him and… and then…"
"And then what?" She prompted, squeezing Hudson's hand.
"And then we were having sex," Hudson admitted, blinking as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "We were having sex in my parents' kitchen, and I was so certain that everything was going to be all right." She glanced at Lana, eyes wide with confusion. "I thought he loved me… like I love him. But then… then he just got up and he yelled something at me – god, I don't even remember what he said – and he was gone and I realized it was all for nothing!"
Staring helplessly as her friend broke down into sobs, Lana pushed away her anger, for the moment, of Lex's treatment of Hudson, and reached out to pull her friend into her arms. "Oh, sweetie," she whispered, brushing her fingers through the dark strands of Hudson's hair. "I'm so sorry."
"It's over," Hudson bawled against her shoulder. "It's really over. And it's all my fault!"
"No. No, that's not true." Lana pulled back to cup Hudson's face and force her to look at her. "You can't blame yourself for this. Lex made the decision – "
"Because of my lies!"
"Hudson, you have to protect yourself," Lana argued, even knowing that a part of her agreed that Hudson should be honest with Lex. That wasn't the point, at the moment. "Your secret is the biggest secret in the world, do you understand that? If Lex loves you like he has claimed, if he wants to be with you, then he should have trusted you. I truly believe you would have told him when you felt you were ready. He blew this, sweetie. Not you."
Hudson pulled away, shaking her head as she refused to meet Lana's gaze. She got to her feet and walked toward the other side of the room, arms wrapping around her waist to hug herself tightly. Occasionally, her body would tremble from the force of pain she could feel moving through her. She wanted to scream and cry an ocean of tears and run far, far away where no one would ever find her. But she didn't think she had the strength for any of it. Right now, her body just felt like it wanted to collapse beneath her, and maybe she would never have to move again. This was worse than any sickness caused by the meteors. A part of her wished she never had to feel again. A part of her wished she could find a piece of red meteor rock and just… not be herself anymore.
"I feel so foolish," she commented after a few moments of silence. "I really believed that everything was going to be okay. I told him I loved him and… he just left me there."
Sighing, Lana played with the edge of her nightshirt for a moment as she tried to think of something to say. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. What did you say to someone who thought they'd had the world handed to them, only to then have it cruelly ripped away? It was hard for Lana not to harbor very uncharitable thoughts toward Lex and his disinheritance. A part of her wanted to walk up to him and say "Boy, Karma's a bitch, isn't it?" But then, it really wasn't her place to get mixed up in all of this. Whatever her relationship with Hudson might be, it couldn't interfere with her business relationship with Lex – not that they really had a business together anymore.
It was all far too complicated.
"You shouldn't feel foolish," Lana finally replied, even though she doubted her words would make much of an impact at the moment. "If there is anyone who should be feeling foolish, it's Lex. He did a terrible, awful thing, Hudson."
"I hate him."
Lana doubted that. This whole situation would be easier to deal with if she did. But Lana didn't believe Hudson could hate Lex, no matter what he did. As weird as it was considering their differing backgrounds, Hudson and Lex were like two halves of a whole. Everything they did revolved around the other, whether they knew it or not. Which caused Lana to believe that Lex's recent decision to end their relationship would have widespread consequences for everyone involved. She didn't know what would happen, or why, but she was fairly certain their worlds weren't going to continue on business as usual.
Not ready to begin the argument with Hudson as to what her true feelings for Lex were, Lana scooted back on to her bed and patted the extra pillow beside her. "Come on. Stay the night. You look like you could use some rest, and I'm sure things will be a little more clear in the morning."
Hudson shook her head, turning slightly so that the shaft of moonlight through the curtains cast a beam of light across her eyes. "I can't. Mom and dad would kill me if they knew I left Lex there alone… "
"Hudson, I seriously doubt that Lex is out wandering the farm tonight looking for clues to your secrets," Lana replied. "In fact, if I know anything about the man you've talked about non-stop for almost two years, it's that he's probably as upset about what he did tonight as you are."
Her friend snorted in reply.
"Come on," Lana insisted, pulling up the sheet to crawl under it as she waved for Hudson to join her. "Besides, if you go back now, you're liable to castrate Lex with your eyes. And while he may deserve it, you'd probably end up regretting it."
Hudson sniffled, trying not to smile. "At least I'd be the last woman he'd ever have sex with."
Lana laughed softly. "That's a good way to look at it. But really, I think your parents would be very disappointed in you. Now, come lay down. At least for a few hours until you feel a little better."
"I'll never feel better," Hudson whispered, more to herself than Lana, before moving over to the side of the bed where she kicked off her shoes.
Sliding under the covers, Hudson curled up beside her friend, staring into the darkness as she felt Lana's hand move over her arm in a repetitive, soothing motion. Inside, she was still screaming; she thought she probably would be for the rest of her life. But Lana's touch had stilled the tremors, and the warmth of her friend's presence helped her to not feel quite so alone. Sighing, she tucked her head closer to Lana's, and closed her eyes.
"We should run away," she told Lana softly, her voice barely a whisper.
"And where would we go?" Lana asked with a smile.
"Anywhere. It doesn't matter. Just as long as it's far away from here, where no one could find us. I'd take care of us. We'd have everything we'd ever need."
Lana found herself picturing it, a life with no worries, with Hudson by her side, taking care of everything. And she wouldn't have to share her, especially with other people who seemed only to want to hurt her. She could love Hudson without reserve, and help her to grow and feel confident in herself and the world around her. She'd keep her safe from everyone who would judge or use her, and neither of them would ever have to be alone.
"We'd have each other," Lana added after a moment, her fingers picking up a strand of Hudson's hair, threading through it.
"Yes. Each other," Hudson repeated, eyelids burning with of another bout of tears. She remained silent as they trailed down her cheeks, softly hitting the pillow beneath her.
How many times had she pictured running away with Lex in just such a manner? Protecting him from his father, and from the world at large that tried to hurt him. She'd spent so long imaging a future where her purpose would be to take care of and love him, that Hudson doubted she could do anything else. She was supposed to graduate from high school, go to college in Metropolis, move in to Lex's penthouse with him. She'd major in something that would make her parents proud and she'd graduate with honors, and then they would marry and nothing beyond that really mattered.
Except now, all of that had changed. That future was erased, and Hudson really couldn't imagine a tomorrow.
She choked back a sob, telling Lana, "I feel like there's something inside of me being ripped apart."
Lana's arms moved around her and pulled her close, and Hudson found herself crying once more against the shoulder of her nightshirt. She felt Lana's lips brush against her forehead, and her soft breath as she whispered, "Shhhhhh. It'll be okay."
Hudson wanted to argue. She wanted to tell Lana that nothing would ever be okay again but she was tired and everything ached and she hated who she was and what she was. She hated her biological parents for sending her to Smallville and she hated Lionel Luthor for sending Lex to Smallville and she hated her parents for not handing her over to some government laboratory, where she'd never have to feel.
Instead, she cried until she thought her eyes would dry out and fall out of their sockets; until her stomach was so twisted in knots and aching that it reminded her of being exposed to the meteor rocks. She knew Lana was holding her; brushing her hair with her fingers, caressing her shoulder and arms, whispering soothing words about how the hurt would go away and things would be better in the morning. She knew her friend was comforting her, but she couldn't really feel it. She didn't want to feel it. Hudson wanted to revel in her pain and never, ever forget that Lex Luthor was a bastard who didn't deserve to be saved that day on the bridge. At the thought, the tears would come again, and she'd silently ask Lex to forgive her for thinking such a thing, and Hudson would wish that he were holding her now, promising that everything would be all right.
Some time later, Hudson fell into an exhausted sleep, dreaming of puppies, and roses, and broken promises of love.
------------------------------
Lana woke Hudson just before dawn, reminding her that she still had chores to get done before school. Hudson didn't really feel like going anywhere; Lana's bed was warm and comforting, and she knew her friend would spend every moment trying to make her feel better. But if she didn't get home before her parents came back, there would be far too much explaining to do. So she hugged Lana, promised to stop by the Talon on her way to school to help open the coffee shop and quietly left, through the door this time, to speed her way back to the farm.
She arrived before Lex was up, before her parents had returned, and was thankful for both. Knowing it would be risky to speed through her chores, Hudson did it anyway, wanting to be done and showered and away from the farm before Lex was up. In minutes she was done with her chores, had hurried through her shower, dressed and grabbed an apple on her way back out the door. She didn't see Lex, though she had heard him moving around in his room. If her parents knew how reckless she'd been, they would have been very upset with her. Actually, if they'd known anything that had happened since last night, they would have been angry.
Racing her way to the Talon, Hudson waited around while Lana opened the shop up and gave a few instructions to the morning shift. She grabbed some coffee and a Danish to go, then followed Lana out to her car and then headed to school. Hudson was grateful that her friend said little during the drive; she didn't bring up the night before, or mention Lex's name. Hudson just wasn't ready to talk about it yet. She didn't even want to think about it. Her hurt was turning to anger again, and she couldn't stop the desire inside of her to inflict the kind of pain on Lex that he'd inflicted on to her.
As Lana pulled into a parking space, she glanced over at Hudson and gave her a half-smile. "Are you going to be okay today?"
Hudson nodded. "Yeah. Class and all. It'll keep my mind off of things."
"I hope so." Lana reached out and touched her hand. "If you want to talk…"
"I know, Lana. Thanks." Leaning across the seat, she hugged her friend before pulling back and opening the door to head into the school.
Glancing at her watch, Hudson was pleased to see she still had enough time to stop by the Torch with her delivery for Chloe. She made her way down the hall, forcing a smile at the few kids who said hello, before finally standing outside the office of the newspaper. Chloe was bustling around the tiny room, flipping through folders and occasionally stopping by the computer to type in a few words. Hudson actually felt a little guilty interrupting her, but she figured her friend could use a little break, especially since class would begin in just a few minutes.
"Ahem."
Hudson smiles as she holds up a large to-go cup of coffee and paper bag containing a cheese danish as Chloe turns around.
"Hey," Chloe greeted her with a smile. "I didn't know the Talon delivered."
"I decided to make an exception," Hudson responded, holding them out to her.
Grinning, Chloe snatched the coffee from her hand, sipping at it as she took the bag and started back across the office. "So, I'd heard rumors of a certain someone deciding to go into the coffee business. But I hadn't really believed it. Guess this means you were serious?"
Hudson shrugged as she moved inside, wandering over to the desk where Chloe took her seat. "Yeah. I was serious."
Chloe set her coffee down then reached into the bag to pull off a piece of the cheese Danish inside and take a bite. "So, how does it feel to be a minimum wage earner?"
"Great," she replied with a smile before a frown appeared to mar her brow. Hudson couldn't help but wonder if she was going to keep her job, with the way Lucas had been behaving the day before. What if he took his vengeance towards Lex out on her? "But there seems to be some personnel changes over at the Talon."
"Are you talking about Lucas Luthor?"
Hudson blinked, her frown deepening. "Yeah, how'd you know?"
Her friend laughed. "Are you kidding? The prodigal Luthor son returns, and to top it all off, the new heir has taken over the castle. I mean, that's the story that could land you a byline on the front page of the Daily Planet."
Making a face, Hudson looked away for a moment. She knew she should just stay out of it, ignore Lex's problems and let him deal with his brother on his own. He didn't deserve her loyalty or her protection. But there was something about Lucas she just didn't trust, although she couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was just her paranoia when it came to Lex. Again, she shouldn't allow herself to worry about it but she just couldn't help it.
"I just… I don't trust Lucas," she admitted. "I think he's hiding something."
Chloe rolled her eyes as she lifted her feet up on to her desk and leaned back in her chair, enjoying breakfast. "Come on H.C., I know you have this bias when it comes to Lex, but cut the guy a break. He's had a really tough life. He bounced from foster home to foster home. I mean, he never got adopted."
Hudson sighed and shrugged. "Well, when you were looking at his past, you didn't find anything weird at all?"
Licking the icing from her fingers, Chloe leaned forward and hit a few keys on her computer. Behind her, the printer began whirring. "Um, just the source."
Leaning back, Chloe pulled a piece of paper out of the printer and handed it to Hudson, whose eyes widened as she looked at the top of the certificate.
"Metropolis United Charities?" Hudson shook her head in confusion before looking at Chloe. "But I thought you said I was the only adoption through them?"
"You were." Chloe raised her eyebrows, her expression one of untold excitement at discovery such a strange mystery. "Until two weeks ago. That's the date of the database change, when someone went in and added that."
"That makes no sense."
"Well, when you're talking about the Luthor world… " Chloe trailed off and shrugged.
Tapping the paper against her fingers, Hudson wondered what all of this could mean. Did someone want Lex to find Lucas? Was it Lionel? And why? What did Lucas' appearance and Lex being disinherited have to do with anything? She figured Lionel would just have done with Lex once Lucas was in the fold, but now she was beginning to wonder. If there was one thing Lex often reminded her about his father, it was that the man never did anything, said anything, went anywhere without purpose.
The ringing of the class bell startled her from her thoughts as Chloe jumped to her feet and turned off the computer. "US History calls," she told Hudson as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.
Frowning, Hudson realized she was going to have to wait until after school to figure out what was going on. She knew she should just let it go, and let Lex fight his own battles. In fact, she should just let him go.
But she couldn't. Or, at least, she wasn't ready just yet.
And a full day at school only heightened her trepidation about facing Lex again. A mixture of anger and hurt had pooled in the bottom of her stomach all day long, leaving Hudson filled with even more dread about returning home. Even with her parents there, she knew she still had to deal with their houseguest – the man who had sex with her right there on the kitchen table and then told her in so many words that she wasn't worth the time of day. Part of her was afraid to speak to him because she might rip his head off, and the other part feared bursting into tears.
To combat both, she went home and immediately threw herself into her chores, speaking to no one. When her mother called out to her, asking what she wanted for dinner, she barely grunted a reply. Her entire focus was on the chores she needed to get done, especially since she couldn't use her abilities to get through them. Hudson was forced to take the same amount of time her dad might have while doing them himself because of Lex's presence on the farm. It was moments like this that made her appreciate her abilities, while at the same time hating them and what she was. It reminded her, all too clearly, that she wasn't like everyone else, that she never could be. She knew she took for granted the fact that she did in a minute what it would take her father two hours to do. Hudson couldn't help feeling that it was both wonderful and horrible to be herself.
Climbing over the fence into Spike's corral, Hudson pulled the hose with her to slip into his tank and fill it. The bull ignored her presence for the most part, snuffling over in the corner through his bucket of grain. As she started back to turn the water, she found Lex watching her silently from just beyond the fence.
Hudson frowned as she dropped her gaze and climbed back over, heading without a word to the pump.
"That probably isn't very safe," Lex commented softly as she walked past him. "Climbing in there with that bull."
Ignoring him, she turned on the water and then spun on her heel, heading back to the barn.
Lex followed, quickening his pace a little to catch up to her as she made her way up to the loft. "Hudson, I want to talk to you about last night."
"Well, I don't want to talk to you so I guess you're up shit creek without a paddle, aren't you?" She snapped, grabbing the pitch fork and contemplating throwing it through the nearest wall. That would take care of a lot of things.
Stopping at the tone of her voice, Lex considered dropping it and heading back into the house, but he just couldn't bring himself to do that. Not when something had to be said. He took a deep breath and continued to follow her.
"Where were you last night? I was worried."
"I'm sure you were," she replied, her voice indicating otherwise. "And I don't think it's really any of your business."
Knowing she was just baiting him, Lex let her reply go. "Hudson, look, I'm sorry for what happened. It was… inexcusable of me."
Hudson slammed the pitch fork into the pile of hay in front of her, her anger growing. She reminded herself to be careful because it would be far too easy to snap the handle into splinters or drive the entire thing far too deeply into the ground. Instead she concentrated on cleaning out the dirty hay and piling it into the wheelbarrow, pointedly ignoring the man behind her.
At her continued silence, Lex tried once more. "Hudson… "
"Can't you just leave me alone?" Hudson demanded, whirling around to face him. "Don't you think you're hurt me enough?"
"Hurt you?"
Lex stared at her in disbelief, recalling how he'd spent the night berating himself for every little thing he'd ever done to her, reminding himself that she was better than him, that he was lucky to have even been a part of her life even for a short time, and that he didn't deserve someone like her. He'd gone to her room to see her, to apologize and maybe hold her just one last time like he wanted to. He wanted to kiss her tears away and help her understand how much she would always mean to him, even if they couldn't be together. But she hadn't been there, and she hadn't come back, and Lex knew he'd been the one to chase her away. He spent the night awake, worrying about her, wondering if he'd ever be able to make it up to her. He spent the day waiting for her return, thinking of what to say, knowing that he couldn't let what happened between them destroy whatever might be left of their friendship.
But apparently that wasn't possible.
"Hurt you?" He repeated, anger surfacing. "What do you think you've done to me over and over again for months now, Hudson?" He shook his head. "You know, I used to believe I was the most selfish person on Earth, but apparently you're determined to take that title away from me."
Hudson stiffened at his words, wincing slightly because she knew he was right. She knew he could see through her lies, and for so long he just let her continue to tell them, never pushing for more. But somewhere along the way, she supposed it just got to be too much. It seemed, with every passing day, that she had more lies to tell, more truths to hide, more differences separating her from the rest of the world. Maybe promising Lex 'someday' just wasn't good enough anymore. Especially when she didn't know if 'someday' would ever come.
Frustrated by her silence, Lex slipped his hands into his pockets and looked away. "It was a mistake to come here, I know. Tell… tell your parents thank you for taking me in."
Hating that she immediately succumbed to the wave of guilt that engulfed her, Hudson started after Lex the moment he turned to walk away. "Wait. Lex."
He stopped but didn't turn around.
She searched for the right words to say, without apologizing for anything she didn't feel she'd done wrong. How was she supposed to say 'I'm sorry about the lies, but they're not my fault!'?
"You don't have to leave," she began lamely. "I mean, you don't have anywhere to go."
Lex smiled sadly to himself. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but he knew she was right. "I can take care of myself, Hudson."
No, she didn't think he could, actually. Not that she could say as much to him. "I know you can but… well, my family offered you a place to stay and whatever is going on between us shouldn't interfere with that." She felt so grown up for saying such a thing.
"Can you handle that?" Lex turned to face her, wondering at his ability to push people away so easily. Hudson had been his best friend, she'd loved him. And now, they could barely say two civil words to one another.
She didn't really have a choice. Her parents would be disappointed in her if she let her feelings get in the way of offering help to someone who needed it. "Yes."
Lex didn't believe her, but at the moment, he didn't have very many options. It was true that he felt safe here; something inside of him believed that even if his dad did try to strike at him again, the Kents would protect him. He knew it was wrong to get them involved in his problems, but he really didn't have anyone else. His relationship with Helen just wasn't strong enough to get her involved, even though he knew if he called her at the conference and told her what was happening, she'd let him stay at her place.
And maybe a part of him wanted to hold on to Hudson for as long as he could, no matter how much they continued to hurt one another.
Finally, he shrugged a little and forced a smile. "If you're certain."
She wasn't, but he didn't need to know that. "I am." Hudson returned the smile, eyes widening a moment as she realized she had something to show him. "Oh! You might want to see this!"
Lex watched curiously as Hudson hurried over to her backpack and opened it, digging through her folders for a moment before pulling out a sheet of paper triumphantly. He started over to her, meeting her halfway as she turned around and held it out to him.
"Chloe and I were discussing your brother before school this morning. I thought you might be curious to see what organization arranged the adoption."
Taking the paper, Lex's eyes narrowed as he stared down at it, anger replacing the feelings of distress that were always present when Hudson was near. Suddenly, his focus was no longer on her and them, but on the more important matter of his father and the latest game they were playing.
"Metropolis United Charities," he read aloud, unable to bite back the sarcasm that entered his tone.
"Chloe said Lucas's file didn't even exist two weeks ago," Hudson explained. "Suddenly, there it is."
Lex nodded, mind processing this information and quickly laying out the specific scenarios that would cause his father to make this move. "Like somebody wanted him to be found," he added for her, frown growing. "Of course, the detectives I hired failed to mention where they got their information."
Hudson bit her lip at the familiar darkening of Lex's gaze. She knew that look. "Do you think your father knew about Lucas all along?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Do you even have to ask?" Lex snapped, instantly regretting his tone. This particular fight was with his father, not Hudson. "Lucas was in on this from the beginning."
Spinning on his heel, Lex stalked angrily back to the stairs, determined to find out what was going on between Lucas and his father that had him situated firmly in the middle. He didn't like being made a fool, and that was obviously what both his father and his brother were doing to him at the moment. And probably enjoying every minute of it.
Hudson followed him to the railing, peering over the side as Lex moved down the steps at a quick pace. "If your father was hiding Lucas why would he suddenly let you find him?"
Lex paused at her question, turning to glance back up at her. "Because ever since he took LexCorp, he knows I've been looking for an opportunity to get back at him. He co-opted Lucas before I could." Shaking his head with a half-snarl, he spun back around and continued descending the steps. "While I've been playing checkers, my father's been playing chess."
Sighing, Hudson watched as Lex exited the barn, and wondered if he didn't welcome this game with his father as a good excuse to get away from her.
-------------------
Sometimes Hudson was absent-minded. She really didn't think it was her fault, though. There were just so many things going on in her mind; friends and family to take care of, weird happenings around the town, school work, farm work, and Lex, who really was a classification all unto himself. So she could convince herself that being late for her first shift at the Talon really wasn't her fault, because Hudson was absent-minded and Lana certainly should know this being her friend and all. At least, this was what she told herself over and over again as she sped through town toward the coffeehouse, praying she wasn't fired before she even had the chance to work.
When she rushed in, Lana was hurrying away from Lucas, who was frowning in a manner that was apparently inherent to all Luthors. Hudson decided to ignore him, flashing a quick look of apology at her friend.
"Lana, I'm so sorry I'm late – "she began, only to have a tray covered in mugs of coffee shoved into her hands.
"Yeah, don't worry about it," Lana replied, though her tone said anything but.
She gave Hudson one of those looks, the kind that always made her feel like she had messed up big time. She'd seen the look not only from Lana but also Chloe, Lex, occasionally her parents. Hudson wondered if there would ever be a time in her life that she didn't totally screw up.
"You can make it up by taking these lattes to table three," Lana continued, before whirling around to head back to the counter.
And then Lucas' voice rang out across the room, "I want you to fire her."
Hudson glanced up as she set the last latte down, blinking in confusion at Lex's brother. "Fire me?" She repeated, moving toward him. "For what?"
"You were half an hour late to work," Lucas snapped angrily. "What were you doing, helping Lex dig up more dirt about me?"
Hudson's eyebrows raised at his comment. Oh, so apparently Lex had already spoken to him about the information Chloe had discovered regarding Metropolis United Charities. And now he was pissed off at her because of it. She repressed a sigh, knowing that this would be one of those moments where her father would remind her not to get mixed up with the Luthors, to let Lex fight his own battles, etc, etc, ad nauseum. Hudson really didn't think this week could get any worse.
"Lucas, I am not going to fire Hudson," Lana told him as she moved up beside her friend in a welcomed show of solidarity.
Lucas shrugged. "Okay. Then I'll fire you too."
"Check our partnership agreement," Lana argued, her anger flaring. "You can't do that. Lex made sure of it."
Hudson held back a smile, pleased for the first time about Desiree's attempt at destroying all of their lives. If that relationship hadn't happened, Lex would never have looked into securing the Talon for Lana, and Lucas would have an easy task of evicting her. As it was, that was neatly prevented, and Lucas didn't look none too happy about it either, as he continued to glare between Lana and Hudson.
Finally, he replied furiously, "Lex is history, and so is this place. You can count on it."
With that, Lucas turned and headed out the back door. Biting her lip, Hudson glanced down at Lana whose expression wavered between anger and tears. Knowing she wasn't about to let her friend be hurt by her own talent for screwing up, she handed her tray to Lana and then hurried toward the back door to follow Lucas into the alley.
"Lucas wait!" She called out. "You can't do this!"
"Get it through your head, Hudson! I'm a Luthor, I can do anything I want!"
Hudson blinked. That was a display of even greater arrogance than Lex had ever shown. Maybe Lucas' presence could turn out to be a good thing, if the people of Smallville began targeting him instead of Lex.
Shaking her head, Hudson continued down the stairs after him. "Lucas, look, if you want me to quite, I will. Just leave Lana out of this," she begged.
Lucas turned back to her, and for a moment, Hudson felt a sliver of hope within her. He pursed his lips briefly and then replied, "Too late."
Hudson watched in consternation as he continued down the alley. Well, she didn't handle that very well, did she? It really hadn't occurred to her that he might say no; she was used to people typically giving in to her. There wasn't much of a reason for Lucas to despise her so much, beyond the fact that she was close to Lex. In actuality, she wasn't even choosing sides in this battle because she had no real idea what was going on. The Luthors puzzled her, and Lionel Luthor's actions were the most confusing of all. She doubted she would ever understand why he was so hard on Lex when it seemed to her that Lex was constantly doing everything he could to impress his father.
Sighing in resignation, Hudson turned to go back into the Talon when the sound of a motorcycle revving it's engine down at the entrance of the alley distracted her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Lucas freezing in place, staring down in the shadows of the alley with her. Frowning slightly, Hudson leaned to the side, peering into the darkness as the motorcycle appeared. The figure riding it reached into his jacket and pulled a dark object out, aiming it down the alley. Only when the rider kicked the motorcycle into motion, racing past Hudson toward Lucas, did she realize he was holding a gun. Lucas broke into a run away from his attacker just as the gun was fired.
Seeing the bullets headed for Lucas, Hudson launched herself into superspeed. Rushing toward the bike, she gently reached out and knocked the attacker off of it just hard enough to stun him as he hit the wall of the building opposite the Talon. Instantly, she ran for the bullets, hoping that she was fast enough to make it there in time. A year ago, she knew she wouldn't have succeeded; but over time, her speed had increased. She just didn't know if it was enough to reach all of the bullets that had been fired.
Time around her seemed to stop as Hudson raced past a group of bullets, trying to reach those nearest, and most dangerous, to Lucas. Reaching the third closest, she knocked it out of the way with her hand, before batting at the second. Ahead of her, the first bullet fired was nearing Lucas' shoulder, and for a moment, Hudson feared not reaching it in time. She threw herself forward, shoving her hand in the path of the bullet where it hit and harmlessly bounced away. Forcing herself to pull back just a little, Hudson grabbed Lucas to shelter him, the last of the bullets slamming into her back as they fell to the ground.
"Are you okay?" Hudson asked Lucas, checking him once with her x-ray vision to make certain she didn't miss an injury as they slowly climbed to their feet.
"Uh… yeah." Lucas nodded, staring down the alleyway at his attacker as the man climbed back onto his motorcycle and zoomed away. He didn't bother letting on to Hudson that he recognized him.
Instead, he frowned a little and glanced at the girl beside him, the quaint little farm girl who was completely on his brother's side and yet had just saved his life. His eyes narrowed as he pondered exactly how she'd made it from the door to him in enough time to push him out of the way of the bullets.
"How exactly did you do that?" He asked.
Hudson started at the question. She'd been looking at the bullet holes on the back of her jacket, wondering how exactly she was supposed to hide them, when his voice had startled her. She blinked at Lucas a moment, before asking, "Do what?"
"I was over fifteen feet away from you when those bullets were fired. Yet, you knocked me out of the way."
"Oh, ummm… he wasn't a very good shot," she replied, pointing at the bullets she had knocked away into the buildings and a few pieces of scrap metal around them.
"Hudson? My god, what happened?" Lana hurried out of the back door toward them, eyes wide as she looked around.
"Someone just tried to kill Lucas," Hudson told her. "Call the police."
Nodding, Lana glanced at Hudson's jacket and shot her a quick warning look before turning and running back into the Talon. Hudson slipped her jacket off, casually folding it into her arms and focusing her attention on Lucas once more.
"You sure you're okay?"
He nodded once, his gaze sweeping around the alley at the bullets on the ground, before lifting back to Hudson suspiciously.
"We should probably go inside and wait for the police to make a report," Hudson prodded, stepping aside so that she could follow him.
Lucas hesitated only a moment before finally heading back to the Talon.
"The police are on their way," Lana called out as she approached them. "Are either of you hurt?"
"No," Lucas snapped, on edge. "What kind of town do you live in anyway?"
Hudson ignored his question, slipping into a chair with her back to the wall. She had no idea if her shirt had holes in it too, but she wasn't about to take any chances. She watched quietly as Lucas paced near the front of the coffee shop, while Lana sat down beside her.
"What happened?" She whispered.
"It was an automatic weapon. I stopped the bullets in time, but most of them hit me in the back."
Lana nodded. "Should I call your parents?"
"No. Just… do you have a jacket or sweater I could borrow? I think there are more holes in my back." Hudson looked over at her friend hopefully.
"Yeah." She stood. "I have a spare in the back. Hang on."
Hudson felt a little more relaxed once she Lana's jacket on, even if she didn't wear pink very often. It calmed her enough to get her through the interview with the deputies when they arrived to take statements from her and Lucas. She didn't know if it was a bad thing or not, but lying to the questions posed by the police had gotten easier over the past year. Plausible excuses came more quickly, and Hudson knew she actually sounded confident in her delivery of each answer. Not everything made sense, of course, but if there was one thing she had learned, it was that the police really didn't bother to double check everything. They were either uninterested or unwilling to search for the truth. It caused her to wonder how, exactly, crimes were ever solved.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Kent," Deputy Crowley told her, before flipping the notepad in his hand closed. "We'll be calling you if we have any more questions."
Nodding, Hudson forced a smile before glancing over the deputy's shoulder to see Lex hurry into the building. He stopped short when he saw Lucas, and they exchanged a glare, before he seemed to dismiss him and continue his way across the room to her.
"Hudson, are you and Lana all right?" He demanded. "I saw the police cars outside."
"Someone shot at Lucas in the alley," she replied with a shrug. "We're both okay, though."
Lex examined her face silently for a moment, mouth thinning. Finally, he commented, "Imagine that."
Hudson shifted uncomfortably.
Another moment of silence between them before Lex asked, "Would you like a ride home?"
At least she had an excuse. "No. Thanks. I have to work – "
"Go home, Hudson," Lana interrupted as she passed by them with a tray of cappuccinos. "It's been an insane night, and I already found someone to cover for you anyway. Just be certain to be here tomorrow afternoon – we're going to be short-staffed."
She was tempted to argue and tell Lex no anyway, but he was here and they were both going to the same place, and it would be kind of ridiculous to refuse at this point. Especially with Lana already speeding away from them. Hudson would tell her how unfair it was of her to do that tomorrow, leaving her with little choice after everything had happened. She knew it was probably Lana's way to get them talking again, even if it was a rotten thing to do.
Glancing over at Lex, Hudson found him watching her expectantly and suppressed a sigh at his knowing expression. Without a word of acknowledgement, he stepped to the side, giving her room to maneuver around the table and make her way toward the door, Lex close on her heels. As she passed by, she looked over at Lucas, who was finishing up with the deputies. Their eyes met for just a moment, before his gaze drifted behind her to his brother. Finally he flashed them both a slight frown before returning his attention to the men in front of him.
"I don't think I like your brother," Hudson concluded quietly as they exited the Talon.
Lex kind of shrugged beside her. "He's a Luthor. Through and through."
Hudson wasn't certain how she was supposed to respond to that, or what Lex actually meant by it.
------------------------
Hudson didn't like working, that much she had concluded. It wasn't so much that she minded the work, it was more that there were far more important things to do – such as figure out what game the three Luthors were currently involved in. Having a shift the next afternoon at the Talon interfered with that; and she didn't like that she felt guilty for running out on Lana when Chloe brought her the information regarding the man who attacked Lucas. Hopefully Chloe would cover for her like she asked, then she could apologize to Lana later and all would be well. After all, this was important. Lana would understand that.
Pausing at the gate to the mansion, Hudson noticed that Lex's regular guard Sam, was missing from the guard house. She frowned slightly, wondering if Lionel had fired him. It would be an awful thing to do to the poor old man, and for that reason alone, she feared that's exactly what happened. She would have to mention it to Lex and see if there was something he could do for Sam and his family. Since the post was empty, she reached out and pulled two of the bars apart, allowing herself enough room to squeeze through, before turning and pushing them back into place. She quickly broke into a jog, making her way up the drive and to the back of the mansion where the kitchen door was located. It wasn't until she opened it, that she found herself hoping Dodd hadn't been replaced as well.
Dodd was standing over the sink, frowning deeply as he peeled a potato. He looked up as Hudson entered, frown remaining. "You are lost, Miss Kent. Lex does not live here anymore."
Hudson rolled her eyes and snorted softly. "You think I don't know that? My mother was doing his laundry this morning."
"So, why are you here? This isn't a delivery day."
"No. Actually… well, I'm here to see Lionel. He's around, isn't he?" Hudson made a face. "He seems to be skulking about Smallville a lot these days."
Dodd's expression mirrored her own, like he'd just taken a rather large bite out of a rather bitter lemon. "Yes. He is here. Lording over the estate like some – " He broke off into a barrage of Russian, through which Hudson was only able to catch bits and pieces of the curse words he'd taught her.
She couldn't hold back her smile at Dodd's apparent opinion of Lionel Luthor. "You thought you were rid of him, didn't you?"
"Yes. Him and his foul temper." He pointed the knife in his hand at her as he spoke, "Every meal I make is not good enough for him! Even when I make his requests, he says they are too salty, too bland, too – gah!"
"You sure you're not one of his son's, too?" Hudson couldn't help but ask as she made her way across the kitchen to the doorway.
"I have killed for less, Miss Kent."
She shrugged as she peered down the hall. "I don't doubt that. Where is he now?"
"Probably in the study. Enjoying his victory." Dodd huffed.
"Victory?" Hudson looked back at Dodd. "Don't count Lex out yet. Anyway, the farm isn't big enough for the two of us." She made her way into the hall, calling out, "See ya."
Hudson didn't want to speak to Lionel Luthor. During his stay with Lex, she'd been uncomfortable whenever he was around. She just didn't trust him; she didn't believe a word he said or any action he made. Of course, her distrust was well-founded once they discovered he had not only an entire safe of meteor rock, but also a file on her and the missing key to her ship. More than once, Hudson wished the man would simply take a long walk off of a short pier, no matter how uncharitable the sentiment might be. And now he was messing with his son's life again, and whenever the Luthors had one of their little wars, other people were always affected.
Such as Lucas' hapless attacker, Dirk.
Pushing the doors to the study open, Hudson glanced around until she spied Lionel sitting up on the couch, his head cocked slightly toward the door.
"Who is that?" He called out.
It didn't help that every time she remembered his blindness, she felt guilty for her mean thoughts about him. Surely the man was just acting out even worse lately because of his unexpected disability. Attempting to rein in her aggravation, she replied, "It's Hudson Kent."
Lionel turned toward her, a smile slowly crossing his face. "Hudson," he practically purred. "I'm sorry. I meant to call and thank you for saving Lucas. Your… uh, rescues are becoming a bit of a Luthor family tradition."
Stopping beside the couch, she shifted slightly, almost certain that he was staring right at her – and seeing her. "I understand they caught the shooter in Metropolis," she began, wanting to get this conversation over with as soon as possible.
He reached out toward the table in front of him, feeling around carefully until he found the glass of brandy. Bringing it to his lips, he took a sip before finally replying, "Yes, I heard that."
This wasn't going to be easy, was it? Nothing with the Luthors ever was.
Sighing, Hudson stepped around in front of him, folding her arms over her chest. Which was really kind of silly since he couldn't see the stare she was giving him, and therefore, it was ineffectual. "So I can assume you've also heard that he died while in police custody?"
"Oh?" His eyebrows raised behind the dark glasses, as if this information somehow surprised him. Hudson wondered how surprised he'd be if she suddenly kicked him – and snapped his leg in two. "That's unfortunate. But, it happens."
At least she didn't have to hide rolling her eyes. She always had to do that with Lex when he was less than honest in his reactions to her.
"Just awfully convenient, isn't it?" She pointed out, the idea of really and truly kicking him becoming more appealing by the moment. "Kind of like how Lex was able to track down Lucas."
Lionel chuckled.
She thought she could make it a clean break, right at the knee. Then he'd really be disabled.
"I think you've inherited your father's paranoia, Hudson."
Maybe the knee and the thigh. And the ankle, too. The man would never walk again without an artificial leg.
"We're not talking about my family, Mr. Luthor," she pointed out angrily, dismissing the whole kicking idea, no matter how appealing it was. "We're talking about yours."
Lionel was about to reply when his cell phone began to conveniently ring. As he reached into his pocket, he glanced up toward Hudson, again as if he could actually see her. "Good night, Hudson," he said dismissively.
Stubbornly, she didn't want to leave. She thought if she stood there long enough, he would just tell whoever it was he would call them back and deal with her questions. Unfortunately, Lionel just held the ringing phone in his hand, giving her a slightly perturbed smile. Apparently, this conversation was over.
Letting out a soft huff, Hudson turned and started back to the door, hesitating only when she heard him tell her, "Send my regards to your mother."
It would be a cold day in… Shaking her head, Hudson exited the study, closing the door behind her. She paused for a moment, glancing down the hall in both directions, before leaning her ear against the door. Her mother's words from long ago came back to haunt her 'No one likes an eavesdropper, Hudson Clark Kent!'. But she quickly pushed the admonishment from her mind, knowing that this could be important, and just this once her mom could forgive her indiscretion.
Lionel's voice was crisp and clear. "Yeah… What?... Lucas, where are you?... All right, all right. I'll take the chopper… I'll be there in half an hour… My office. Don't do anything rash. You understand me?"
Rash?
Worrying her lower lip, Hudson hurried back down the hall, toward the French doors that led to the garden. Once she was away from the house, she sped her way home to look for Lex. It might have been unreasonable to jump to conclusions, but if Lucas were calling Lionel, and Lionel was talking about not doing anything rash – especially in the tone of concern his voice had been carrying – then something was probably going on with Lex. And when one knew the trouble Lex Luthor was good at getting himself into, no one could blame her for her conclusions.
Or, she was just as paranoid as Lionel accused her of being.
It was dark in the house, which meant her mom was probably at the PTA meeting being held that night. She scanned through the walls, checking to make certain that is was empty before turning her gaze to the barn. The work light was glowing through the door, so she headed over to find out if her dad had seen Lex recently. When she entered, the last thing Hudson expected to find was her dad passed out on the floor beside his work bench.
"Dad!" She hurried over beside him, touching his shoulder just as he slowly opened his eyes. "Dad, what happened?"
He winced slightly, reaching up to touch his forehead. "I… I was talking to Lex," he replied, struggling to sit up as he frowned. "Then… I don't know. Now you're here."
Hudson bit her lip; Lex was in trouble. "Lucas," she muttered, before reaching out to take her dad's arm and carefully helping him up. "I'd better get you to the hospital."
"No." Her dad shook his head. "I'm fine. Really." He glanced over at her as he rubbed his neck. "Do you think Lex's brother did this?"
She nodded. "I was at the mansion when he called Lionel. I think he might have done something to Lex."
"Hudson, I don't want you getting involved in the Luthor war."
"Too late," she replied. "I'm already involved, dad. I was the moment mom invited Lex to stay with us."
Jonathan frowned at her words, ready to argue but finally seeming to accept the validity of her statement. "You'd better go help him, then."
Smiling, Hudson leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, dad. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. Go on."
She gave him a quick nod before superspeeding away toward Metropolis. She knew there would be no trouble in beating Lionel there; the problem would be in finding a way into the building. Lex told her that after the hostage incident with Lionel and her mother, security at LuthorCorp had been tightened. Alarms were everywhere, and twenty-four hour guards patrolled the place with dogs. She was going to have to be especially careful with this particular rescue since she doubted it would be very feasible to knock out a bunch of guards, push her way into the office, stop whatever might be happening and then speed away without expecting to be seen by at least one of the three Luthor men.
Lex's family seriously needed counseling.
When she reached the LuthorCorp building, Hudson carefully made her way down one of the back alleys. Glancing around for a way in, she finally noticed a covered air vent that was small but she knew she could fit through it. Kneeling beside it, she grabbed the edges and pulled it away from the wall, the screws flying out behind her. She nibbled on her lip uncertainly for a moment before climbing inside the confined space and quietly crawling her way through the vent. She only made it about twelve feet in before reaching another grating. Peering through to make certain there was no one around, Hudson pushed the grate away and dropped down into a supply closet. Not bothering to put it back, she focused through the door to make certain the hallway was empty before opening it and making her way down the corridor toward Lionel's office.
Pausing at the corner, Hudson once more focused her gaze through the walls, this time to find the Luthors gathered in the office. Lex was tied to a chair, and both Lionel and Lucas had guns. What the hell was going on? Hudson frowned and glanced around until she noticed another air duct that ran over the ceiling of Lionel's office. Quietly she pulled the grate open and lifted herself up into it. She couldn't help but feel like a mouse, crawling her way through all of these narrow spaces, like she was hunting for the cheese at the end of the maze.
"I'm not the one who deliberately kept you in the foster care system."
Lex's muffled voice rose up to meet her, bringing Hudson to a halt. She leaned forward to look down through the vent in the ceiling. Lucas was positioned just below her, his gun pointed at Lionel, who had his own gun pressed against Lex's head.
"You're not helping things, Lex," Lionel remarked in annoyance.
"Did you ever wonder why you were never adopted... " Lex continued, glancing over at his brother. "If you were in trouble how you always got bailed out at the last minute? Don't tell me you thought you were just lucky?"
Lucas shot a quick look at Lionel, realization crossing his face.
"We're a social experiment. One son gets everything, the other gets nothing," Lex told him.
"That's ludicrous," Lionel argued. "I would never do that."
"Yeah you would. Just like you tipped off the shooter?" Lex turned his gaze back to his brother. "Your friend Dirk was on our father's payroll. Edge City was a setup."
"Shut up!" Lucas shouted. "You wanted to use me too!"
"Yes, I did, and for that I am truly sorry. But trust me, trying to gain his love and respect is not worth it."
Lucas stared at Lex for a long moment before looking at Lionel. "Is it true? Is that what you did to me?"
Lionel reached his free hand out to Lucas. "We've got a lot to talk about, son."
Lucas slapped it away. "After you kill Lex," he replied, wrenching his father's arm around and forcing him to once more aim the gun at Lex. "For once, I want the blood to be on your hands."
Hudson shook her head. Maybe her parents were right; getting mixed up with the Luthors wasn't the brightest thing she could be doing with her life. What kind of man raises his children like this? And wait... since when could Lionel see? Where were his glasses? How long had his sight been back? What was going on?
"Time's up, Dad," Lucas commented with a slight smile as he raised his gun directly at his father.
Lionel slowly shook his head. "No... I can't do it."
"That's just too bad," Lucas snapped.
"Lucas, please, don't. I will not kill my son."
This was insane. Hudson let out a soft breath as she looked around, searching for something she could use to put an end to this madness and find a way to help Lex. Unfortunately, there was nothing in the vicinity that would be available for a distraction. Biting her lip, she glanced down at Lucas and narrowed her gaze. She felt the prickle of her heat vision just behind her eyes as she focused them on his gun. Barely a second later, Lucas cried out, dropping the gun to the floor.
"You psychotic little bastard!"
Hudson's eyes widened in surprise as Lionel spun around and pistol whipped Lucas, knocking him to the ground. Without a moment's hesitation, he fired the gun in his hand twice, directly at his prone son. Panic filled Hudson at the attack that she couldn't stop, until she realized that Lucas wasn't hurt. He was just laying there on the ground, glaring up at his father with a small bit of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He wasn't shot though, and Lionel appeared as surprised by this fact as Hudson felt.
"It must be in the genes.," Lucas panted, wiping at his mouth.
Lex chuckled.
Hudson shook her head. This was insane.
"It's blanks," Lionel muttered in shock.
Lucas sat up and pulled the clip from his gun. "This one too."
Lex looked up at his father, laughing at his expression. "Checkmate."
Biting back a sigh at her own confusion over the entire scenario she'd just witnessed, Hudson quietly pushed herself back along the vent, moving carefully so as not to make a noise. She needed to get out of there before she either got caught, or did something stupid like knock the heads of all three Luthors together. Just what the hell was Lex thinking, trusting this brother he didn't know to play a game like that with his father? What was the point? To prove that his father wouldn't shoot him? Hudson doubted she would ever take a gamble like that when it came to Lionel Luthor. Then again, she figured that was probably why there were blanks in the guns. Lex wasn't stupid, and apparently, neither was Lucas.
With another frown and shake of her head, Hudson dropped down from the air duct and quickly made her way back to Smallville.
--------------------
Hudson hung back as the last of the customers left the Talon before making her way inside where Lana was locking up. Her friend looked up at her, frowned slightly, and quickly went back to her work. Knowing what a cold shoulder was when she saw it, Hudson kicked at the floor with her boot for a moment before following Lana inside.
"Lana, I realize you're locking up, but I just need to explain—"
"It's not necessary." Lana shook her head and forced a smile as she glanced over at Hudson. "I understand."
"You're not mad." Hudson was kind of surprised. It had been a long time since Lana had ever actually been mad at her.
Making a face, Lana met her gaze for a moment and her smile softened just a little. "Somehow, when you let people down, you make it really hard for them to be mad at you."
"Lana, I had to save—"
"Hudson, I know you had to—"
They stopped as they realized they were speaking over one another and laughed, the tension between them quickly dissolving.
Lana shook her head slightly with another smile, dark hair dancing over her shoulders. "So, I guess that's it."
"Yeah." Hudson sighed and shrugged with the slightest disappointment. "Shortest career in the history of the coffee house business."
"Second shortest." Lana laughed and reached out to touch Hudson's arm comfortingly. "Don't forget my one-day at the Beanery."
Giving her another smile, Lana moved past Hudson and began putting the chairs up on the tables. "So, did everything work out? What's going on with Lex and his father?"
Hudson shook her head as she leaned against the wall, crossing her feet at the ankles as she watched Lana work. "I don't know how much I actually helped the situation. The whole thing was pretty messed up. I'm still not really certain what was going on between the three of them. Lex was tied up and there were guns and… " She trailed off and sighed.
"Sounds like a bad eighties action flick."
"It was bizarre, I'll say that much. For the first time ever, I found myself thinking that maybe my dad was right about the Luthors."
Lana stopped what she was doing to stare at Hudson. "You don't really believe that, do you?"
Hudson shrugged. "I don't know. Everything about Lex confuses me anymore."
"Well, that's understandable." She gave her friend another slight smile. "I mean, after everything the two of you have been through, and the past few days. You're so close to everything that goes on with his life, and yet, you're not really a part of it, you know?"
"I guess." Hudson glanced down at the floor, pondering the designs of the tile. "So, umm, I guess I really can't convince you to give me another chance with the job, huh?"
"No, hon. I'm sorry." Slipping her hands into her jeans pockets, Lana moved over to Hudson and looked up at her. "Hudson, you're not meant to be working in a coffee shop. There are bigger and more important things for you to be doing out there. And I know that you wish you could just be like everyone else but… you're not. You're special. You do special things. And the last thing you should be doing is worrying about getting lattes to table number three when there are people in danger that you can save."
Hudson shook her head and looked away. "It's not fair."
"Maybe. Maybe not." Lana reached out and touched her hand, threading their fingers together and squeezing lightly. "But we can't change who we are. All we can do is be our best. And, sadly, your not at your best serving coffee."
They grinned at one another before Lana leaned up to give her friend a hug. "No hard feelings?" She asked.
"Nah." Hudson smiled as she pulled back. "No hard feelings. Look, I'd better get home. I'm a little behind on my chores, and I need to check on my dad."
"Okay. See you tomorrow in class."
Nodding, Hudson made her way outside, and sped back to the farm.
Once she let her parents know she was back, Hudson went outside to finish unloading the feed bags they had picked up earlier that day. Her dad was still slightly dizzy from his concussion the day before, even though he refused to admit, and her mom was forcing him to take it easy. In a bid to help out, Hudson had offered to take on all of the chores that day, and she'd fallen a little behind with her visit to the Talon.
The familiar whine of a sports car distracted her from her work, and Hudson turned to smile slightly as Lex pulled to a stop beside the truck. Setting the bag in her hands down, she pulled off her gloves and leaned against the truck bed, watching as Lex climbed out of the car and walked over to join her.
"My mom told me you were going to come back and get the rest of your stuff," she commented softly, realizing for the first time that as uncomfortable as she'd been with Lex living under the same roof as her, she suddenly didn't want him to go. It was a Catch-22. It hurt to have him so close, but she was worried about how estranged they might become if he left.
"Surprisingly, my dad's had a change of heart." Lex smiled, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat with a shrug.
Hudson nodded a little, wondering why Lex found that so surprising. After all, there was no telling what Lionel Luthor was going to do from day to day. But apparently, he made the decision that one son was better than the other.
"I'm sorry that Lucas didn't turn out to be the brother you wanted," she offered.
"Considering his father, I'm surprised he's still alive at all."
Hudson nodded, thinking this over and not understanding it one bit. "Where is Lucas now?"
Lex leaned against the pickup truck beside her and glanced out into the darkness. "Safe. But I'm going to have some work to do to regain his trust."
"You will." She was confident of that, no matter what problems might exist between herself and Lex. "You're not your father."
"Sometimes, Hudson, we're all held hostage by the will of our parents. The only difference is, your parents are good people. All my father does is push people away." Lex brought his gaze to Hudson's, giving her a half-smile. "Your parents opened their home to me, no questions asked."
Shaking her head, Hudson couldn't stop herself from commenting, "As long as I live, I don't think I'm ever going to understand your family."
"Neither will I," Lex replied honestly. "But, I hope you never do, Hudson. The last thing I would ever want would be for you to be wrapped up in this life, understanding any part of it. You deserve better than that."
Hudson frowned a little at his words. She didn't like the fact that Lex thought she was so different from him, that she couldn't handle being a part of his life. Especially when she was the one constantly saving his neck, whether he knew of every instance or not. She wished that she could get through to him that she didn't need his protection, she didn't need him to look out for her, she didn't need –
And then it hit her. The reason Lex was pulling away, the reason that he was throwing himself into this relationship with Helen was because he wanted to protect her. He thought she deserved better than him, that she should have more than what he had to offer. All that she needed to do was prove to him how wrong he was. Sure, Lex and his father did come really strange things, and Lionel didn't care about who got hurt along the way. But she couldn't be hurt. She was safe from all of that, and Lex needed her in his life to protect him. Not the other way around.
He couldn't hold out forever. His interest in Helen was just a temporary thing that would fade away, as long as Hudson could convince him that she was all right, that she was strong enough to survive to be a part of his life, that she could understand it if he only gave her a chance. All she had to do was wait this out. Lex wouldn't be with Helen forever. He'd come back to her. She just needed to show him that they belonged together.
Relief flooded her at the thought, and she turned to flash Lex a big smile. "I hope everything works out. I mean, with your dad and brother and stuff."
Lex nodded silently, watching her for a long moment before asking, "And what about us? Are we okay?"
She took a deep breath. He would come back to her. Of that, she was certain. "I think so. I mean, I'd rather have you in my life than not, you know?"
"I'm glad to hear that." He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly. "You'll always be important to me, Angel. Never forget that."
"I won't."
She wouldn't.
