Martha is beginning to think she may never reach her destination. Although the trip to the Luthor mansion is a short one, exhaustion is starting to take a toll on her stamina. She's been running on adrenaline from the moment she saw Jonathan carrying Audrey's lifeless body towards their house, moving nonstop despite how useless any immediately action might've been. Yet, she knows there were so many things yet to take care of, so many things to settle. Countless hours had already slipped by, and she's still going as though trapped in a
fog, unable to focus on anything but that which has to be done.
The rain soaked asphalt shimmers like diamonds illuminated by the ornate lanterns outside the gate of the Luthor mansion. The steady shower comes down in sheets, creating a calming, almost hypnotic rhythm as it hits against the glass windshield and is quickly swished away by the movement of the wipers. Thick clouds hang low in the night sky blotting out the tiny stars that usually reside there. Martha peers through the windshield, almost haunted by the darkness. The low hanging
clouds eerily remind her of the shadow looming over her. If only she could look out and see a beautiful sunset; God's artistic genius, a palette of unparalleled beauty that seemed to promise a happy end to each day it took with it. How many sunsets she had gazed upon never thinking she would take them for granted, but now she realizes she somehow had. She would give anything to hang on to the sun that seemed to set too soon this day. For the darkness this night is almost too much
to bear.
Martha drives the truck through the opened gate, pulling up close to the large double door entrance. Her late night visit to the house thankfully does not startle anyone. By the looks of things from the window Lex is still stirring himself.
She had thought it best to make this visit alone, but now sitting in the driveway she's finding it difficult to even climb out of the car. How she wishes she had the luxury to save these moments, knowing that once her words are spoken they would forever change the future, forever changing Lex's path. Yet, no matter how much time she fights to keep, it only serves to postpone the inevitable, prolonging that which she has come to do.
Summoning up the strength from deep within, she reaches over to the passenger's seat, grabbing up the already soaked umbrella lying in a puddle on the vinyl truck seat. Taking in a quick breath, she pops the door open, releasing the umbrella through the crack in the door, then following it close behind she jumps out of the truck.
Even though Martha had been in the Luthor Mansion many times before, it never fails to steal her breath each time she enters it. The gothic structure that Lex calls home is almost like being in another world, opposite in every way from the humble farm that is her home. The entrance alone is big enough to sit her entire house into, and yet she wouldn't trade what she has for such luxury in a million years. Despite all the riches and treasures held between these walls, Martha knows the greatest riches in life do not dwell there. The heavy darkness of the
cold stone walls smother out any glimmer of light on even the brightest summer day, seeming to squash out any fledgling seed of happiness before it even has its chance to take root.
She makes her way towards Lex's study, the sheer magnificence of her surroundings paired with the quiet stillness of the hall is intimidating enough without it being combined with the weight of the visit she has come to pay. Her lone steps on the marble floor are soon met with more as a young man hurriedly brushes past Martha on his way down the hall, heading towards the outside.
"Excuse me, can you please tell Lex that I'm here?" Martha asks, familiar with the routine of needing to be announced in the Luthor house.
The man is startled, seeming to have been caught in some sort of act. His hair and clothes are soaked from the rain, and he appears anxious to go right back into the storm.
"I...I don't work here. I don't work for Mr. Luthor," the man
stammers, taking his leave before Martha even has time to respond.
Unsure of what to think or say she watches him flee from the house. Turning back towards the hall, not seeing another soul to speak with, she calls out "Hello?" her voice carrying down the long corridor and echoing off the walls.
It's no use. She must go against her raising, and enter the room unannounced.
The gentle turn of the handle and creak off the door seem to
surprise Lex who is seated at his desk. He raises his head, seeing Martha standing in the doorway.
"Mrs. Kent," he says, sliding a manila folder over the document he was engrossed in.
"Lex," she begins softly, moving closer towards him, handling the situation as delicately as she can.
"I already know," he says calmly, clipping her words as he rises from his desk.
His blunt confession unsettles her, leaving her unsure how it is he came by this information so quickly.
Moving towards the bar to prepare himself a night cap, he asks, "Can I get you a drink, Mrs. Kent?"
She promptly answers him with a quick shake of her head. She never indulged in alcohol, and his use of it as a deterrent from the current subject matter disappoints her.
As her eyes follow him towards the fire, she detects a glimmer in his eyes she has never seen before; a hint of emotion that he seems to want to fight against. He lifts his glass, hoping to drown the dozens of thoughts swirling through his head with a swig of brandy. As the burning sting of liquor strikes his throat, it seems to multiple the moisture already pooled in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," she says, searching his face for a reaction. "I just felt it was right for someone to tell you personally. I know you were very fond of her work", Martha says, hoping somehow her words can penetrate the walls around him.
Holding within her heart all the tender memories that Audrey had shared with her about Lex and their relationship together, Martha finds it excruciating to watch him stand there emotionless knowing that the woman he had loved is dead. As he swigs his alcohol, it takes every ounce of power in her tiny frame to not slap the glass out of his hand and shake him into the reality of the situation.
Martha aches for all the pain Audrey had endured. All the memories she shared with Lex that were stolen from her as if they were nothing. She had lost everything she had to protect Lex. The fact that Lex could not feel that makes it seem to Martha as though a large part of him had died, too. His father had left his heart beating, but stolen away everything it which it beat for. The beautiful girl who had breezed into his life changing it forever was taken too soon, succumbing to her fate
alone in a field, not far from the castle she could never call her home.
"We were all very lucky to have met her," Martha says, breathing out what she had thought about Audrey for some time.
Lex blinks against her words, knowing what he must have had with Audrey, yet his own mind is too crippled to recall it as he feels he should. All he has are a few scattered memories, flashes and glimpses of the life that might've been. Glimmers of the past that seemed to appear in his mind out of nowhere, leaving him only full of more questions, longing to be able to relive it all again. For the slivers he's able to recall provide him more happiness than he has ever known; happiness he knows has to stem from those seven weeks that were stolen from him.
The fact that he is unable to feel the full impact of this loss
seems to hurt him the most, cementing the fear he has had for so long: his life, his mind and his heart are merely pawns for his father to play with.
X x X
Martha had come there longing to comfort, hoping somehow to be needed by Lex. Yet, how much she wishes Lex was like Clark, still willing to lean upon her for support and comfort, she knows Lex was cut from a different cloth. She had experience with men such as Lex, her husband was very much the same, having to find his own way, only understanding the answers if they were found himself. Accepting that, she simply offers him her hand on his arm, the gesture impacting him greater than any words ever could.
"As soon as the arrangements are made, I'll let you know when the service is," Martha says tenderly, honoring Audrey by treating Lex as she'll never be able to again. "She didn't have any family to speak of, so Jonathan and I are taking care of everything," she says, striving to hide the worry she has about the costs involved.
"I'll handle everything Mrs. Kent," he offers, keeping his eyes on the fire. "She was kind enough to share her work with me, It's only right that I repay the favor."
Every memory he had enter his mind since the moment Audrey came to Smallville filled in a piece of the puzzle that he has been fighting to solve for weeks. Although the image is not complete, he knows enough to fill in the blanks. Despite how Audrey refused him as he connected the pieces through her, his heart told him differently. She had striven to hide that final piece that would leave no doubt to their connection.
Once he had seen it they both knew, and yet did not know how to go on. For living among broken pieces had left them both broken inside. It seemed that the cracks between them were large valleys, and they both were scared of what might be lying in the darkness.
So he had walked away, leaving her to stand alone, feeling himself more alone despite the fact that he had found the one he loved again. How much he wished he could still be standing on that hill beside her; how many things he would have said differently. All the things he should have done. In trying to respect her space, he took his leave, not knowing it would be the last chance he would have to tell her that he knew what she meant to him.
Martha can see his mind working, his eyes beginning to show the signs of what he had endured. Although she wants to be able to tell him the whole story of Audrey, fill in the pieces of his memory that were erased, she knows the knowledge that Audrey entrusted her with could not be shared with Lex. She knows there is too much at stake for the future of her son, the words on the back of the painting still fresh in her mind.
Torn over her desire to mother Lex, and her duty to protect her son, she knows all she can give Lex is a sliver of Audrey, hoping if fate had intended that he get back his memory of her, it also meant that he and Clark were destined to end up as enemies as well. Martha believes in fate, and has faith that whatever she does here tonight cannot change the will of destiny.
"Lex, I want to give you something," she begins, sliding her hand down into her pocket.
He turns towards her, intrigued at the possibility of what is
lingering in his mind could be the item of which she is referring.
"I thought you might like to have something that belonged to her," Martha says, noticing instantly the interest in his eyes.
She slips out a small white box out of her pocket, removing the lid gently. The dancing flames in the fireplace illuminate the yellow gold chain that lies in the box. Martha delicately picks up the necklace, allowing it to coil softly into the palm of her hand.
Lex cannot hide what he is feeling within, the flood of emotions surging through him evident on his face, despite how much he purses his lips to fight them.
Reaching over, he takes the delicate chain into his hand. Raising his arm, he brings the necklace in front of his gaze, allowing the tiny charm to spin in the air before him.
"Why this piece?" he asks curiously, not removing his eyes from the dainty piece of jewelry.
"I don't know, really. It just sort of spoke to me," Martha says, honestly not knowing why she felt so compelled to give the necklace to Lex.
"You have impeccable taste, Mrs. Kent," he says, bringing the necklace down, clasping his hand around it. Turning his head to finally face her, he adds "and amazing intuition."
Martha stands puzzled with uncertainty. not sure what the
relevance of that particular piece of jewelry means, but seeing it
undeniably is priceless to Lex.
Still not fully able to believe that which he saw just hours
before hanging around Audrey's neck was the proof he was looking for, Lex has to glance down at the piece in his palm, he has to be sure. The undeniable presence of the necklace leaves no doubt in his mind about what Audrey meant to him; for all the memories could be taken, but the truth would always find a way to be told.
Lifting his eyes to meet Martha's he offers her the truth.
"It was my mother's."