Authors Note: These stories are all a bit random as they are posted in the order in which they arrive in my head and are generally stand alone, but just because this one is set in season 2 it doesn't mean I've intentionally skipped the early days, there will be more.

Secrets

Post-Insurgence. Martha barely lasts a day as a secret agent.

"Maybe we should take a page out of the Luthor playbook." She still couldn't believe her husband had said it, and she couldn't believe she'd gone along with it. Now as she drove to the mansion she felt dirty. She was betraying the man she worked for and despite what he'd done to her and her family, she felt guilty. It ate away at her that she was driving to work in order to spy on her boss, just as that watch she'd hidden in her underwear drawer consumed her. She'd wanted to give it back and forget about, so there would be no need to tell Jonathan and Clark about it. But now that she'd decided to use her job to get to Lionel she felt she couldn't do that either.

She'd carried the biggest secret in the world for thirteen years but now the secrets were just becoming too many. And now not only was she spying on her boss, she was lying to her husband. Taking a deep breath to strengthen her resolve, she decided that at least she could stop doing that. Tonight when she went home she would tell Jonathan everything, about the watch, about the key to the ship she'd found in the previous week in Metropolis and about the baby whose existence she still believed too good to be true despite a dozen test results that told her otherwise.

Feeling slightly better for her decision, she pulled into the driveway at the mansion, parked and just sat in her car for a moment. She opened the glove box and took out the resignation letter. She almost took it with her, intending to hand it in and get out as quickly as she could, clearing herself of the last nagging secret, but Lionel Luthor's appearance at the door made her lock it back in the glove box and step out of the car empty handed.

"Good morning Martha. You know I could get you a company car, what would you like? Mercedes? Jaguar?" he smiled, "Or would a rusty Dodge flatbed be more your style? You clearly have a taste for the more rugged side of life."

Martha smiled a fake smile, knowing he couldn't see it anyway, refusing to be baited by snide remarks about Jonathan.

"My cars fine thank you."

"Of course," he said taking her arm as she lead him into the mansion. "You can hide a watch from your husband, but a car rather stands out doesn't it." He placed a hand on her wrist. "I notice you're not wearing it."

"I…" she began.

He held a hand up to quieten her, "It's okay. I understand. It was a gift. What you do with it is up to you."

They wandered through the halls in an uncomfortable silence that stayed with them for most of the day, only talking about what was absolutely necessary to get the job done. Martha's entire body was tense as she sat next to him, hurrying through the work in an effort to get out of his presence as soon as possible. She hadn't expected things to change much since finding the files on Clark the previous week during the hold up, but now everything he did she found herself questioning, and the thought that she might inadvertently aid something meant to uncover their secret or damage someone else made her cringe. And yet the idea of spying on him seemed equally repulsive, she found herself praying that she wouldn't have a chance to attempt anything.

Her prayers weren't answered and in the early afternoon she got her chance. The maid had just come in with sandwiches and bottles of water when Lionel's phone rang.

"Hello Lex," he answered. Holding his hand over the microphone he apologised, "Sorry Martha, this is private."

She made to get up but so did he, "No. You carry on, I'll take this outside."

Martha waited until he was outside and the door had closed to slide her chair over to the computer terminal. She had glimpsed Lionel's password over his shoulder as he'd typed it in, weeks ago when she'd first started to work for him and she typed it now. She uttered an uncharacteristic curse as a red box blinked up 'Access Denied'. She tried again, thinking she's just mistyped, but the box appeared again. Realising he must have changed all his passwords after the hold up, she swung back to her own work just as the door swung open and Lionel strode back in.

"Lex will be in from Metropolis this afternoon. I fear he's going to attempt something stupid. Would you care to stay to dinner? I feel we may need to work on a counter-offensive in preparation for my son's next act of rebellion." He said it more like a statement than a question, assuming she would stay. And why shouldn't he, Martha thought bitterly, after all I went to Metropolis for the day instead of spending my anniversary with my husband.

"I should really call Dominic," he continued, "He really should be a part of our plan."

"I'll get him on the phone." Martha said, picking up the cell phone from the desk, but Lionel, with the accuracy of a man who could see placed his hand upon her, pinning the phone to the desk.

"No, not yet. Dominic won't be pleased with my decision and it would be a shame to ruin an afternoon. I'll call him later. There is no need for him to interrupt too early." The hand he'd placed upon hers traced slowly up her bare arm, Martha leapt out of the way before he reached her shoulder.

"Mr Luthor," her voice stuttered with surprise at the action, "You may expect everything you want from your employees but you won't get it from me!"

"I'm sorry Martha, I know that it's just…"

"Just what?" she snapped, grabbing her jacket from the back of her chair and tugging it on violently.

"I know you're not happy. The farm isn't enough for you. I only wanted to give you what it is you want. What you deserve."

"Jonathan is more than enough for me." She said as she grabbed her bag and stormed out. She'd expected him to shrug and continue working but instead he strode after her.

"Martha, I'm sorry." He sounded genuinely upset but Martha could still only wonder if it was an act. Before last week she maybe would have believed him not now she wasn't sure whether he'd ever been truly sorry a day in his life. She stormed down the hall as fast as her legs would carry her, so that he couldn't catch up to her without running. Running was a loss of control and Lionel Luthor did not loose control.

He stopped at the outside steps and watched her as she went to her car and yanked the door open, getting in and slamming it shut. The tyres screeched as she swerved round and out of the driveway. As she reached the guard at the gate she wound the window down and handed him the letter she'd kept in the glove box.

"Give this to Mr Luthor." She said before speeding off.

She was so angry and upset, tears now threatening to fall, that she did not notice her husband drive past her, equally angry. And she didn't hear him screech to a halt and slam the door, even though it was done with such force she might have. And she didn't hear her husband yell to the man who stood bewildered on his doorstep, "I found the watch, you bastard. You'd better stay away from her!"

THE END