Author's Note: I warn you i'm in the middle of beta-ing this. And also, i'm looking for someone to back beta. I already have one offer, but more than one beta, especially for the longer chapters, would be excellent. Get back to me.

*

More than you think (and a heck of a lot less than you know)

(or To sleep better)

*

Early Monday, Dec. 16

The hot shower was a dream after the long swim. The pounding water relaxed the muscles in her neck and drew the chill from her body. She raised her face to the spray and smoothed the water over her slick, wet hair. It was all she could do to keep from lingering under it, but every wet slap of her feet against the pool tiles reminded her that this was just a place to rinse off. There was the towel-blanket on the shelf there, waiting for her to reach out and take it -- wrap herself in it, walk to her room, have a real shower and get ready for the day.

Oh God, but she didn't want to.

The nerves along her back prickled moments before she felt strong long-fingered hands on hers. The nearness of his body made the water cool by comparison. And his hands in her hair... She turns--

"What are you doing up this early?" She turns--

"How did you know I was here?" She turns--

"Good morning." She turned--

"DYLAN!" She wretched herself from his embrace. "How did you--?! What are you--?! Get out! Get the hell out!" Her voice climbing with every pronouncement.

Dylan stepped through the cascading water, forcing her into a corner. "I don't think so."

"This isn't funny Dylan! You're trespassing and--"

"I saw you in the water and I couldn't resist."

"You couldn't resist . . .?"

If only her fingers could find her eyes. Her angry outbursts echoed off the tiled walls, the crystal-faceted windows. Dylan dragged her back into the water. It cascaded down their heads, filling their noses, and pushing tangled wet hair into their eyes. It made holding onto her, and fighting him, that much more difficult.

Dylan worked off the shoulder straps of her suit. She took a deep breath to scream.

Isis' lungs filled with water. Instinct made her swim for the surface. Her head hit the inflated pool bed, upturned in the water. She sank. Her red, gold and brown braids floated in front of her eyes. They tangled in her hands as she fought to surface again. Scissoring her legs she punched the inflatable bed out of her way.

Clutching at the bed with one arm Isis coughed water out of her tortured lungs while trying to take a breath. Her sides hurt, her arms ached, her head was pounding and she was cold--!

She put both arms on the bed. Isis went under. She fought to surface again, pushing away from the deceptive floater.

Finally, at the pool's edge, she held on. Coughed.

Her feet scrabbled for purchase against the pool wall until Isis weakly pushed herself out the water. Too weak to sit up, she lay on her back on the floor and let her tears mingle with the puddle forming under her prone body.

*

Chloe slammed her locker. "I hate Midterms Week."

Pete shrugged. "That's probably why it's called Hell Week."

"I thought that was Finals Week."

"Hey, same difference to me. Clark! My man! Where are you going? Class is this way." Pete thought his best friend's embarrassed flush was a bit excessive, but refrained from mentioning it in front of Chloe. "Ready for midterms?"

Chloe rolled her eyes at Clark's shrug. "Like Brainiac here has anything to worry about. C'mon Clark, you know you'll be fine. It's the rest of us who have to worry." She sighed. "Oh well, 45 minutes of Math as Hell coming right up."

The first bell rang.

BRIIIIIIIING!!

"Pencils down please." There was a sudden flurry of pencils scratching against paper. "Pencils down people." A collective sigh sounded as the class set aside their pencils and Scantron sheets. Knuckles and necks cracked, people stretched and furtive looks were thrown around as students packed their bags. "Don't forget your homework."

A collective groan preceded them out.

"Anyone else fail?" Pete asked as they left.

"Fail what?"

"Hey Ice. Math. We just took our midterm."

She winced. "Bummer. I was never a fan of math either."

Chloe frowned, "But aren't you a Business major?"

"Yup. Shot myself in the foot with that one."

"And . . . you smell like . . ." Chloe took a long sniff. "Candy!"

"Guilty as charged. I've got Skittles, Sour Starbursts, SweeTarts and peppermints. What's your poison?"

Pete's eyes went wide. "Jeez, Ice. You must be, like, a dentist's wet dream."

"Gee. Thanks bro. I'm kinda rockin' the sugar rush to keep me awake. And before you ask, Chloe, I've been a coffee-fiend all morning too."

"But still . . ."

"Hey, just be happy I stopped short of the chocolate covered coffee beans."

Even Chloe made a face. Pete looked like he might lose his breakfast.

Isis turned, walking backwards. "Hey, Clark. Not up to talking?"

"Uh, um, n-not really?"

"Aw, come on Clark. Don't you want to joi-- Oomph!" Isis turned. "Eesh, I'm sorry I ran . . . I . . . ran . . ."

Dylan Strauss smoothed his clothes. "It's not a problem."

Isis took a hasty step backward as he passed them, pushing past Chloe and Pete, almost into Clark in her need to stay out of Dylan's way. None of them needed super-hearing to pick up Isis' ragged breathing -- as if she had been running -- but only Clark could hear her racing heart. He put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped.

Chloe spoke first. "Isis, what's going on? Are you all right?"

"I-I, uh, I had a bad dream. A nightmare I guess. Dylan was in it."

"What?!" "What happened." "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm . . .I'm fine. I'm good. I just--"

The late bell rang.

"Crap in a handbag, now you guys are late 'cause I'm flipping out for no reason. Look, I have to go to the office anyway, come with me and I'll write you all Late Passes."

They formed a tight phalanx around Isis, Chloe with her arm around the obviously still distraught woman, but she wouldn't give them any more details.

"I wonder what that was about," Chloe asked as they made their way to class.

"I don't know," said Pete, "but I plan to find out."

*

The buzz of the cell phone in her pocket made Isis jump. She quickly fished it out before the silent vibrate feature turned into her annoying ringer, and she was kicked out the library. A quick glance at the Caller ID -- she only had one more buzz, maybe two, before the discordant melody started.

She flipped the phone. "Un moment, Alexandre. Mr. Peters, could you watch my laptop," she begged the librarian as she rushed out the main room into the desert-hot foyer. "Lex?"

"Are we still on for dinner in Metropolis?"

"Right. Dinner." Despite the stifling heat she pace. "I guess I forgot."

"If you're busy I understand. There'll be other times."

"No, no, I've just been distracted . . .almost since the moment I woke up."

"So we'll leave at 6? Or shall I pick you up?"

Isis stopped. Him pick her up. That would be new . . .for them. But no, she needed to scrub the day from her skin.

"Are you sure you'll be ready by 6?" he asked. "How about 6:30. I'm sure the restaurant will hold our reservation."

"Six-thirty. Sure."

Lex dabbed his lips with his dinner napkin. "Are you all right, Ice? You've been distant all evening."

"Really? I guess it's just been a long day."

Lex's eyes traveled from the sinning wine in her hand to her tight shoulders.

"Hey, so how's LexCorp doing?" her voice dropping as she asked. "I mean the proceeding. Think you'll be ready to announce for Christmas?"

"New Years is more probable. Speaking of Christmas, what time is your flight to Gotham?"

"I've moved it actually. Now it's the redeye for the 23rd. Trying to balance Gotham family-time with Smallville family-time is going to make me pull out my extensions," she smiled, her fork halfway to her mouth. "And the Luthor family Christmas? What's it like?"

Lex snorted. "Tedious. Full of manipulation, machinations, PR and various forms of wheeling and dealing."

Isis set her fork down as she laughed. "Guess that means you'd be right at home at my grandparents' party. Last time I went . . ." She shuddered. "They started playing matchmaker."

"So you were there until the bitter end?"

Isis flicked food at him. "You big meanie. And I suppose you make it to the end of all your father's parties."

Lex flicked wine back. "No. I'll admit that last Christmas was the first yeah I managed to be completely sober."

"Wine Lex? How juvenile."

"You started it."

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"Nuh uh."

Lex shook his head, smiling. "Are we still up for 'Rent?'"

Isis tucked a pale braid behind her ear. "How about a movie?"

"You want to go back to the Mansion?"

"No, let's go out. You don't mind, do you Lex?"

"Not at all." Lex pulled out his cell phone. "Let me see what's playing." Their waiter returned and asked after their meal. "Was it all right?"

Isis smiled. "It was lovely."

Eyes cutting from the waiter to Isis' messy, albeit full plate, Lex agreed. "Yes, delicious. We'd like the check now, thank you. You've barely eaten, Ice," he said when the waiter had gone.

Her eyes danced over his face. "I wasn't that hungry."

*

Friday, Dec. 20

"Chloe, get up. We're here."

"Lana, can't we circle the school or something?"

"No, Chloe. There are other people behind us waiting to park."

"Losers. Let'em squirm. Show me your dark side, Lana Lang." The car jerked to a stop. "Hey!"

"You said you wanted to see my dark side."

Chloe cracked an eyelid. "Not against me!"

"Most people sleep at night you know."

"Well sleep lost to studying for my Spanish midterm."

Lana tossed Chloe her messenger bag from the back seat. "I thought you had finished that around 11."

"Eleven forty-five actually. Then I couldn't sleep. Hey, so you're still spending Christmas with Nell and Dean, right?"

Lana made a face. "Don't remind me. I'm starting to think its all more trouble than its worth. I mean I love Nell, but Dean . . ."

"Yeah."

"And Charlene still hasn't got the whole closing thing yet. On top of that--"

"Lana!"

The girls turned. "Hey Whitney."

He kissed his girlfriend soundly, nodding vaguely at Chloe. "Yo, so Lana I gotta run to class but I'll see you at practice, okay?"

"Actually Whitney--"

"I'm running late, baby. So I'll catch you later, right? Great."

Chloe held the door for Lana. "Have I ever told you what a gentleman your boyfriend is?"

"It's over."

"Jeez, Lana, I was just joking. No reason to kill our friendship before it learns how to walk."

Lana turned to Chloe. "No, not our friendship. Me and Whitney. It's over. I just don't know how to tell him yet."

"You don't look too happy about it."

A flash of earnest brown eyes, rain-soaked blond hair and damp black clothes across Lana's vision. "I'm not."

*

Martha ruffled her son's hair. "When's your last test, Clark?"

"The 23rd. Right before Christmas Eve!" He looked up at his mother from the textbooks littering the kitchen table. "Why do they always do that? We should have the whole thing off."

"What 'thing?'"

"You know, the entire week of Christmas."

"Christmas is only one day," Martha reminded him.

"I mean the week that Christmas is in."

"Much better."

Clark ducked his head. "Lex is always telling me about that, too."

"About what?"

"Being clearer with what I say. Chloe too. She's always saying a good reporter has to make what they're saying totally clear."

Martha smiled. "Maybe you should listen to your friends."

"Yeah, but then she says they, reporters, also have to be subtle. That you have to be able to give your opinion and your point of view without seeming to."

"She's right."

"But," Clark frowned, "isn't that a contradiction?"

Martha laughed. "You're going to find out a lot of things are contradictions, least of all being a journalist. And you're sure that's what you want to do with your life, sweetie?"

"Yeah!" Clark's face lit up. "It's like from the moment I said it out loud . . .I don't know, it just feels right."

"As long as you're happy, son." Martha got up and kissed Clark's brow. "Gonna go fold the laundry."

Clark started to rise. "I'll help."

"Nuh uh. Someone still has a history test to study for."

"Ooh."

Martha grinned.

*

Late Monday, Dec. 23

"Pete, you didn't have to see me off." Sitting on the edge of the uncomfortable orange plastic seats, Isis turned to look at her cousin. "I'm a big girl. And, besides, I know you had a game today. You must be exhausted."

"Hey if you and . . ." Pete succumbed to a yawn. "If you and Luthor can handle it, so can I. Speaking of the devil, where'd Baldy go?"

"Pete! I'll have you know he's getting us all overpriced coffee. But I guess it is taking a long time. You sure you'll be okay if I leave you here to go check on him?"

Pete sat up straighter in his chair. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just, you know, minor pain in every muscle I posses."

"Thanks for not making me feel guilty, bro," she said sardonically but she was up on her feat, scanning the surprisingly sparse crowd at Metropolis International. She'd wandered these cavernous halls before and her feet took her to the coffee-shop while she continued her visual scan.

Apparently everyone's going to DC, she thought as she ran into the thick milling crowd surrounding several Washington-bound gates.

"Hey Bald Man," she said as Lex stepped away from the condiment island. She kissed him full on: slippery and sweet from her lip gloss. "You come bearing coffee? Why LL, this must be love!"

He let her take the tray from him. "Actually, no."

"I know," she said with a smile and a quick kiss on the cheek. "It's, uh, heavy petting and ...um . . ."

"Business dealings."

"Oh yes, business dealings. And dinner and dancing and beating you at Joe Madden Football."

Lex moved to block Isis. "That's only because I got a conference call from our Hong Kong investors."

Sigh. "Excuses, excuses. If it will soothe your male ego to think so," she said, forcing him to walk backwards.

Lex hand on her chest kept her from landing another quick kiss. "I thought you wanted to keep this from your cousin."

"And I thought you wanted to keep it from everyone. But you're right, I do. But Pete's gotta find out eventually."

"Why? I have to admit, it's nice having someone's opinion of me change for the better for once."

"Lex turn around before you run into someone."

"The airport is nearly deserted."

"Not if you're going to DC."

She giggled when he narrowly escaped falling over a yellow Samsonite suitcase. "You could have warned me," he growled.

"I did."

Lex snorted.

"You know you're cute when you're annoyed, Lex." Carefully balancing the coffee-tray in her left, Isis wrapped her right arm around Lex's waist and drew him in for a kiss.

They came up for air. "Isis . . ."

"What Lex?"

He motioned behind her. He heard her soft smile when she said, "No worries. Pete's asleep. I guess I subconsciously want this all out in the open?"

"Or maybe you really are the Ice Princess--" Lex took the tray from her hand and placed it atop her luggage. His hands encircled her waist. "--inscrutable, unattainable," he drew her closer, "daring, outrageous, rash." They were hip to hip. "A hellion with fiery hair."

"You forgot 'haughty,' 'snobbish,' 'cold'--"

Lex shook his head. "I didn't forget."

"I thought we were talking about the Ice Princess."

"We are."

"But--"

Lex's deep chuckle vibrated the air between them. "The people who called you cold didn't know you. Maybe you were out of reach and too hot to hold, but rarely cold," he purred. "Although I do remember you being scathingly polite once."

"My South showing."

"Besides, I wasn't talking about the old Ice Princess. I didn't know her. Well."

Isis smiled. "I tried to make sure not many people did. But you think you know me now?"

"Maybe a little better than before." He rocked on his heels into her. "Maybe I want to know you a little better still."

Pete wasn't sure whether it was the flight call or Isis' trilling laughter that woke him.

Isis embraced her men in turn at the gate. Pete noted that Lex also got a cheek-kiss but couldn't, for the life of him, see anything other than friendship between them. He was never gonna hear the end of it from Clark.

"Hey, so the 27th guys. Look for me."

"I'll have Enrique bring the car around."
Both cousins rolled their eyes at Lex. "You're sweet," Isis said, patting his cheek. "Okay guys . . .I'm off. Thanks for staying up with me. Play nice on the way home."

"I'm always nice," Pet scoffed.

"You're also gonna be out like a light, Pete."

"Exactly."

Isis laughed, gave them both a final hug goodbye before sprinting down the gate.

*

Wednesday Morning, December 25th, Christmas Day

"Dad!" Chloe said with a yelp.

"Hey, Merry Christmas sweetheart. Looks like you were having a bad dream."

Their eyes met. Gabe watched the tears pool in his daughter's eyes, but was still surprised when she launched herself at him. "Daddy!" He enfolded Chloe, calmly stroking her hair. "It's all right, sweetie. Chloe, it's all right. Shh, baby, shh. Shh . . .

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as she pulled away.

The twisted body flashed behind her eyes. Wiping away tears, Chloe shook her head.

"Are you okay now? Do you want me to get you something? I'd offer to make you breakfast . . .but we both know how that would turn out."

Gabe smiled at his daughter's water laugh. "Okay, well you just come downstairs whenever you're ready, baby."

"Dad?"

Gabe turned back to the bed. "Yes, Chloe?"

"Can we call Pete?"

If he thought it was strange that his daughter ask if they call her best friend, Gabriel Sullivan didn't say so. "Sure thing, sweetheart. Let me go get the phone."

Chloe was on her knees in an instant. "Can we . . .can we call from the kitchen?"

"Of course Chloe. Of course."

*

Christmas Evening

"Isis, you're up. Get the door, would you?"

"Sure thing," Isis said, leaping over gifts, wrapping paper, and her young cousins playing on the living-room floor.

"It's probably your Aunt Carolyn and Sam."

"Probably Dad," she called from the hall. "Coming! Jeez, when'd you guys get so impat-- Lex! What are you doing here?" she asked closing the door behind him.

"I was--"

The doorbell rang again. Isis indicated Lex should just drop his pea-coat, skull cap and scarf onto the settee as she went for the door. "Aunt Carol! Uncle Sam!" The women snickered as they embraced. "It's amazing how that never gets old. Everyone's in the living-room, and. . ."

Why had he come, Lex wondered as they bustled away. What was he doing--

Oh yes, he remembered now. The message had been waiting for him on his machine, one of many on Christmas Eve. One of the few he didn't erase after noting the name of the caller for a Thank You note. "Hey, so I'm here. Plane landed okay. Actually I'm waiting for the bus that'll take me into the city proper. I know you're wondering why I didn't take a cab. Actually the grandparents offered to send a car around, but hey!, I have a reputation to maintain after all. Woo! Cold breeze in bad places! Anyway, before I get cut off, I just wanted to say one--"

She hadn't bothered apologizing in the second message, just speeded through: "Lex... it's beautiful. Maybe I just missed my city more than I thought, but there's this moment on the plane when you're landing, and you either have to be watching the whole time or know what to look for, but the whole city just spreads out before you and I thought to myself, 'God Lex should see this.' You have got to see this, Lex."

Isis had a left him a message. And his father had somehow gotten wind of LexCorp. Which, of course, Lionel decided to bring up, albeit obliquely, over dinner. A dinner of at least fifty. Lex scarcely needed both hands to count how many attending had been family in any sense of the word. Not that there wouldn't have been gifts for all.

Lex had ordered anything with his name on the packaging shipped back to Smallville. The servant, the first he ran into after excusing himself from the table, look confused but repeated the order coherently. And that was enough.

"Sorry I had to abandon you, Lex. Here, give me your coat and I'll hang it up." Isis took the coat, stuffed the scarf in a sleeve and snatched Lex's skullcap from his head. She looked at it in her hands then back to Lex's now bared head. "I thought you already . . ." She glanced at the settee, at Lex, and back at the scrap of cotton-silk in her hands. "I'm tripped out obviously. So how did you get here. Especially through the snow!"

"I met a pilot who was missing Christmas in Gotham with his family because his employer needed to be at my father's party in Metropolis."

"Wow. I hope they pay him well."

"I paid better."

Isis snorted. "Oh yeah, my grandparents will positively drool over you. That is if you ever have the misfortune of meeting them."

Lex chuckled. "Am I that bad?"

"That rich. C'mon, time to meet the nice part of my Michael's half. You know they're probably going to think we're in a relationship or something, with you being here for Christmas and not with LL Senior."

"He wouldn't appreciate you calling him that."

"I know," Isis purred. She gave him a quick kiss then pulled him into the living-room. "Hey, look what Santa left on the doorstep."

Conversation stopped. Malcolm Ross stood. "Lex, this is a surprise. Are you visiting with us?"

"Yes sir, I am. Isis left me a message that said I had to se Gotham in winter, and here I am."

Isis turned to Lex and hit him. "That is not why you're here."

An enigmatic smile was her answer.

"Oh don't believe him," she laughed, joining her family. "He could charm the spots off a leopard.

"Anyway! Introductions . . . You know Dad." The men shook hands. "You sorta met my aunt Carolyn and her husband Samuel." A cafe-au-lait woman with blond-brown curls shook his hand, smiling broadly, before letting a slim, prematurely white-haired, man clasp hands with Lex. On her own Carolyn was an inspiring beauty with her flawless skin, natural highlights and bright hazel eyes, but together the couple was absolutely striking.

"This is my uncle Jackson, or Jack . . ." Although he was fairer and his hair red, it was clear that Jack and Carol were siblings. "And this is his wife Susanne. Who somehow got the nickname Suli. It was never properly explained to me," Isis said with a shrug as they greeted each other.

"And of course assorted cousins," she said, squatting them. "Okay, maybe only two. Kalil and Mercy, Uncle Jack and Aunt Suli's twins. The baby's sleeping, isn't she Suli?"

Isis stood and took in her madly grinning family. "And now that you officially know both sides of my family you might want to propose."

"Isis!" Her family cried, surprised and mildly outraged. Carolyn laughed.

"Oh he's not even blushing people!" Isis walked up to Lex. Pinched his cheeks. "See, he's fine."

Malcolm Ross stood. "Why don't you come over here, Lex, where it's safe?"

"Only if you promise to protect me from your daughter, sir."

"I'll do the best I can."

Isis gaped as Lex stepped over her cousins and joined her father. "Traitor!"

"What can I say, he offered me a better deal."

Even Isis laughed. "Okay anyone want anything before I sit down, because-" A cacophony of voices went up, the shrillest from the twins. "People. People! YO! I only have two hands folks!" They laughed. "And my head's starting to hurt."

Suli pushed her soft body from the love seat she shared with her husband. "I'll help. Come on sweetheart."

Requests followed them out.

"Vultures!" Suli cried over her shoulder giggling with her niece as they searched through cabinets and the oversized refrigerator. "He seems like a nice boy."

Isis snorted. " 'Seems' is the operative word."

"He's not a nice boy?"

"He's . . ." Isis turned and was unsurprised to find her aunt leaning against the counter. "He's a Luthor, you know? I mean, as much as he tries to deny it . . . But he wants to be one: Wants to be his father's son, make his mother proud. Which, you know, if I was just hanging out at his swank mansion --- Oh God, Suli, you have got to see this place. It's a freakin' castle like Gram's --- then maybe it wouldn't matter."

Suli's eyes twinkled. "He's still got it?"

"That boy couldn't lose it if he rolled around in cow manure. Yeah Lex is fun! No denying it."

"But you aren't just 'hanging out.'"

"No, I've actually been helping him get out from under Lionel Luthor's thumb. Who's a prig I might add. Anyway, working with Lex and . . .and he's ruthless, y'know? He's manipulative, he's--"

"Isis, honey, he's a businessman."

"I know, I know but . . . Like sometimes we'll go out to dinner and it'll all just bleed over. It's like college all over again, but instead of watching him be a rich and arrogant bastard from afar, I'm right there in the middle of it."

She pushed her braids out of her face. "So, yeah," Isis sighed, "Lex is a nice boy, but he's got this other side and . . . Let's just say I don't have any illusions."

Suli sighed. "Sweetheart--"

"No, don't say it. I know. I'm an idiot."

"You are not an idiot."

Isis laughed. "You're just saying that 'cause you like me."

"Maybe." They picked up their laden platters. "So are you going to tell him?"

"No."

They were just outside the living-room: "Have you slept with him?"

"Aunt Suli!"

*

Isis' voice preceded her. "Aunt Suli!"

"May I ask how you did that, Mrs. Michaels?"

"Did what, Lex?"

"Make Isis blush."

Isis whirled on her aunt. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare!"

"Well . . ."

"Aunt Susanne!"

It wouldn't be until much later, although well past midnight, that Lex would ask Isis herself what her aunt's offending question had been.

There had been a moment when, bundled up, the aunts and uncles and cousins had been prepared to leave. But what had started out as light snow had intensified into an all-out blizzard. "We have more than enough room for everyone," Malcolm Ross declared as his in-laws -- although he had long ago ceased to think of them as such -- struggled out of their many layers.

Lex watched the process with hooded eyes, sipping his eggnog. The children tried to engage him in conversation, but he still wasn't very good with the 7-13 year old set. Actually he seemed to get along best with those about 15 and up. Preferably if some form of violence was the premise of their relationship.

"Where are you going?"

Lex turned to Isis' father. "I should probably get going. You have enough work to do, getting your family settled in. You shouldn't have to worry yourself with entertaining company." And I feel about as comfortable here as I did in Metropolis.

"When I said I had room for everyone, Lex, I meant everyone. We'll have to find you something to sleep in, but I'm not letting you out this house in that weather."

There was humor Lex's voice when he said, "Yes, sir."

"So Dad read you the riot act?"

Lex turned to Isis, standing in the living room doorway. "Something like that."

"Hey, things are still busy down here, why don't you come up with me. I want to show you something. And leave your coat," she added, amused.

They were looking down at the residential block, directly into Gotham's sky scraping heart, from Malcolm Ross' top-floor office. "Daddy likes to keep his work as far away from the family stuff as possible. His room and mine are on the second floor. Or is it the third? Brownstones still confuse me -- as if I haven't lived in one for nearly a decade. You'll be up above us in one of the spare bedrooms. Which is one floor below this. Duh. Anyway, at least Aunt Carol and Uncle Sam's kids aren't here. We'd probably run out of space if they were. And I guess DeeDee and Russ are with their father--"

"Whoa, wait a minute -- who are all these people?"

"My other cousins." Isis cleared books from the low, crowded windowsill and sat. "DeeDee and Russ are Suli's kids from another marriage. They're, like, Pete's age. Maybe older? And Carol and Sam have three girls together -- one twin and one not -- but Carol has another child by her first husband.

Lex stared out into the swirling snow. "Sounds complicated."

"You wouldn't believe. Mom's the only one who was only married once. Course she was the only one who married the person she wanted in the first place."

"Your aunt and uncle . . .?"

"Married who my grandparents wanted. Two unhappy unions for Aunt Carol. Only one for Uncle Jack."

Isis hastily moved more books from the sill when it looked like Lex wanted to sit down. Resting his elbows on his knees Lex admitted he didn't understand.

"Understand what?"

"How you stand to be the sole inheritor of, supposedly, everything."

Isis rubbed her arms. "Oh. That." She stood. Walked away. Came back. "You want the long version or the short? Wide-screen or sized-to-fit your basic household model?"

Watching her pace between the window-seat and her father's desk, Lex said, "Whichever one you feel comfortable telling me."

"How about bold-faced lies?"

"I have enough friends who lie to me as it stands."

"Ah. Well if you want the news brief version you're gonna have to give me some time. I mean, really," she stopped her pacing, "how do you condense an entire family history of greed and selfishness and pettiness? How do you decide what disgusts you least about your own flesh and blood and compress it into a sound bite ready for the 7 o'clock news? Or giving you one of those explanations that goes something like, 'Oh, well this happened so that's why it's like this,' without feeling like I'm the one I'm lying to?"

"Your mother died the same year mine did."

"Yes."

Lex watched as she stared blindly at the falling snow. He reached out for her hand; her fingertips were ice. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up."

"What, my mom's death or our strange family politics?" Lex's eyes were as dark as hers in the gloom Isis noticed.

"Both."

Isis shrugged. "Doesn't bother me like it used to. I always felt like I had this great responsibility on me, because, you know, everything rests with me. If I screw it up Aunt Carol and Uncle Jack never get restored . . . I always used to try comparing it to someone else playing chess with my life, except I never could figure out which piece I was: Queen, King or Pawn."

Lex kissed her cold fingers one by one. "Let's see if the rooms are ready."

*

Thursday, Dec. 26

"Good morning, Lex."

"Morning Mrs. Michaels."

Suli tched as she handed Lex an empty plate. "Call me Suli. Almost everyone else does."

"But what if I break your niece's heart? Will I still be allowed to use your Christian name?"

"Oh Lex, I think we both knew the answer to that."

"You wouldn't come anywhere near me."

"Not with a flaming ten-foot pole, young man," she said pleasantly.

Lex smiled over his coffee mug. "Speaking of Isis, where is she?"

"Still asleep like everyone else, I suppose."

Lex glanced at his watch. "Interesting. She's usually up by now. Up and out of the house."

Suli shrugged. "Well it's been a long couple of days. We've all been staying up very late and I'm sure she's exhausted."

Spearing food with his fork, Lex didn't bother to mention that there had been nights when he had watched Isis drag herself past his study and yet still managed to beat him out the door the next morning.

Breakfast lasted all morning, family members walking in and out of the kitchen and dining area. The twins had nearly convinced Lex to go out in the snow with them when Isis appeared still in, Lex assumed, her pajamas.

"Aunt Isis, we're going outside." "Put on clothes. Lex is taking us to play in the snow."

"Yes, Isis," Lex said, wrapping his scarf around his neck, "come play with us."

Their eyes met. She licked her lips. "Sorry guys, but I'm starving. I promise to come out as soon as I finish breakfast, though." Kalil and Mercy made her swear two more times that she would join them before they led Lex away.

Lex called for the twins to continue pummeling Isis, who had finally made her appearance, with snowballs as he took the call on his wireless. "Luthor."

"You're a hard man to find," came the ever cheery voice that always seemed to be wrapping itself around a deeper, more powerful one.

And Lex supposed it was. "Bruce. How are you?"

"Good, and yourself?"

"Cold."

"Huh?"

Lex shrugged. "Long story. So to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? If it's another trip I have to decline. It's no fun being abandoned for an old bald guy with a sword when you could have been hanging out with a young bald guy with a yacht and several women."

Bruce laughed and Lex's skin prickled the way it sometimes did when he didn't have the man's face to put to his disembodied voice. Like there was another person on the line laughing at Lex.

"You're never going to let that one go, are you?"

"Never."

"I don't understand why you were so upset with me, Lex. You got all the beautiful women to yourself."

"I don't speak a word of Japanese, Bruce. Or I didn't."

"How was I supposed to know that Japan was the one country in which you hadn't gone to school?"

A snowball hit the back of Lex's knee. He turned to see the tide had changed -- out of his favor. Mercy had teamed up with her cousin to attack her brother. But Isis hadn't forgotten that Lex was still in the game if that wink was any indication.

"Bruce, much as I'd love to catch up -- ow -- on old times--"

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, just, ah, slipped on something. So if this was just a pleasure call . . ."

"Not at all Lex. I'm throwing a New Years party and you're invited."

Lex dodged a snowball. "Where at might I ask?"

"Wayne Manor. Have you ever been?"

"No, I don't--" he dove for cover "--think so."

"Lex?"

"Everything's fine. Look, Bruce, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I really must go. One thing . . ."

"Sure."

"Am I allowed to bring guests or is this going to be a small event."

Bruce laughed. "Black tie. Big affair. Photographers, media more than likely, fireworks...the whole nine yards. Invite whomever, just clear the guest lis with my secretary. Who absolutely could not reach you at either your Metropolis or Smallville numbers."

"You could say I've gone into seclusion."

"Having fun?"

"Surprisingly." A snowball flew over the hedge Lex was crouched behind, grazing his skullcap. "I'll give your secretary a ring."

"Good. See you December 31st."

And, as usual, Bruce got the last word.

"NOW!!!" The snowballs fell.

Malcolm Ross asked who won when they piled into the foyer, eyeing Lex in particular. He glared at Isis. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Laughing, she raised her hands defensively. "Turnabout is fair play," she said as she and the twins stripped off their wet outer-layers.

Malcolm handed Lex a towel as he tramped upstairs in his wet sweater and slacks after the twins. "You've been invited to a New Years party, Isis."

"Oh? Who by?"

"Bruce Wayne."

She snorted. "What, is Gotham's Prince Charming trying to find his Cinderella before the stroke of midnight?"

"Isis."

"Oh Daddy, as if you weren't thinking the same thing. Or something similar."

"Actually I was wondering if Alfred hadn't put him up to this."

"The butler?" She leant on her father's arm and pealed off her socks.

"Alfred's been more involved in Bruce's life than many would believe."

"And how come you're privy to such personal info, Dad?"

"A lot of our early recycled products were purchased by the Wayne household. I used to do the deliveries myself. I still handle the old accounts, Wayne's included, personally."

Isis looked up at her father. "I didn't know that."

Malcolm Ross laughed. "No one expected you to, dearest. You know Alfred still asks how you are when I get a chance to talk to him."

"He does not!"

"Yes he does. Isis, why are you blushing?"

"Daddy, what do I do if I see him there?"

"Say hello, you ninny. Say hello!"

*

Mrs. Kent offered Chloe a plate of muffins. "Are you all right, dear? You don't look like you've slept well."

Chloe rubbed her eyes. "It's that obvious, huh? I borrowed some of Lana's concealer to hide the circles from Dad."

"I was actually talking about your bloodshot eyes."

Chloe frowned. "Oh. I didn't realize it was that bad."

What Chloe needed was a glass of warm milk while she waited for Clark to come back from his chores, Mrs. Kent thought, and not the cup of coffee she had been about to offer.

"I don't think they were red this morning."

It was Mrs. Kent's turn to frown. "Have you been getting any sleep at all?"

For a moment it seemed as if Chloe had clammed up, but then she sighed and shook her head. "None last night, although I kept drifting off."

"Then why didn't you lay down and get some rest?"

A coffin. Awake but immobile. First Clark Then Peter Then Daddy And Lana Mrs. Kent Lex Everyone walk past View her. In the coffin. Awake now. Can't see much past the green light. In the earth. But I'm alive!

"Mrs. Kent, have you ever had a dream that you keep coming back to?"

"You mean a recurring dream? Everyone has at least one of those I think, sweetie."

Chloe shook her head fervently. "Not exactly . . ."

In the earth. But I'm alive! Heart: Pounding. Skin: Clammy, feverish. Let me out!

" . . .More like when you wake up from a dream n the middle because, like, you have to go to the bathroom or . . .the alarm goes off, or you wake yourself up, but when you drift back off a few minutes later you're right smack back in it."

feverish. Let me out! Clark save me! Dirt clods falling over you legs.

Mrs. Kent's face closed as she searched her memory. "No. No I don't think I have."

Dirt clods falling over your legs. Over your legs Over your chest Trickling onto the window Let hysteria descend

"Well that's what it's been like for the last two nights. Except they're nightmares. Not dreams."

Concerned, Mrs. Kent took Chloe's hand. "The same one?"

Trickling onto the window. Let hysteria descend But a face. Savior? Kinsman-redeemer? Mother? has the shovel And the dirt ready to bury you. Mom? Mommy?!

Angry, Chloe brushed a tear from the corner of her eye with her free hand. "No."

*

He can't Watch Chloe. She's actually slept more but he still can't Watch her . . .the way he Watches her. He doesn't know what the difference is and he's pissed.

Because he wants to know what it is she sees.

*

Trying to do something as friends when they were, if not a couple per se, actually dating was harder than they had first thought. It wasn't just Pete they were hiding their relationship from, Isis realized, the thought crystallizing, but the whole world. It was the publicity. While Isis didn't mind most of the home-media attention she received, even encouraging it at times, she also enjoyed her relative autonomy outside Gotham. Being Lex's date-of-the-week would end that. Quickly. And she suspected that, although it never came up, Lex was still feeling the sting of Des'ree's betrayal. Or maybe just his heart's. If what they had, or didn't have, fell through she was sure he didn't want it to become the public spectacle of his erstwhile marriage.

Isis imagined it would take very much indeed to induce Lex Luthor to propose again.

"Friggin' epitome of 'Once bitten, twice shy.'"

"What was that, Ice?"

Sitting in a wing chair in Lex's room, she shook her head. "Just letting loose a brain-fart."

"Ah." He looked up from his laptop into her saccharine smile. "Uh huh. How about a show?"

Isis made a face. "I don't know. I don't want to make a scene. I've kinda gotten used to the low-key life."

"Yes, Smallville will do that to you." Lex stood suddenly. "Well while you try to figure out our plans for the evening take a look at this for me and tell me what you think."

"Ooh, jewelry," Isis commented appreciatively, tracing a snaking S on the velvet covered box. "Who's it for, Lex?"

"Open it," he called over his shoulder from the secretarial in his guest-room.

"...Oh . . .my . . .good Lord, Lex! This had better be for Lana because I think it's a little too bold for Mrs. Cauldhaume." Lex could see her picturing it encasing Lana neck. "Although I think it's a little bold for Lana too." She looked up at him. "Chloe? Some faboo employee I don't know? Long lost sister?"

"No. You."

"Me?! Lex, are you toying with me?"

"Isis, when have you known me to play around?"

She snorted. "A lot more than you'd like people to believe."

An amused smile on his face, Lex approached Isis in her seat. He plucked the choker from the still open box. "Don't you want to try it on, Ice?"

She hesitated. But Lex had heard that note of wonder in her voice; he'd seen the desire in her eyes when he'd said it was hers. "Come on, Isis," he purred, folding and pocketing the gold-lace cage. The box snapped shut as Lex took it from her dead fingers. Isis' eyes made the slow journey from her empty hands, up Lex's body, to his changeling eyes. "Tell me you don't want to," Lex drawled.

Isis gnawed at her lower lip, trying to bite away a smile.

"You can't."

She shook her head.

Lex took Isis by the hand and pulled her up from the chair. Looking her in the eye he forced himself to remember that, without her wedge-heels, Isis was actually more than a few inches shorter than he. Walking backward he led her to the mirror over his dresser. Lex slipped around her, fishing the choker out of his pocket.

Her eyes were laughing when they met his in the mirror, pulling her braids from her neck. "I told you you wanted to," Lex murmured into her neck.

"You know me so well," Isis answered, but he couldn't be sure whether she was sarcastic or sincere.

Lex fitted the gold-lace cage around her neck. "Too tight?"

He felt her swallow under his fingers. "Closer."

"Like this?"

She nodded minutely.

Lex fastened the choker. Looking at them in the mirror he was struck by how well Matthews had chosen. There had been two other items suggested by the butler which Lex now saw would have also suited. But this was his favorite.

"Lex, it's gorgeous. These aren't imperial topazes are they?"

"Golden citrines on the body, imperial garnets on the drops."

Isis turned around. "Imperial garnets?"

Lex shrugged. "New stone. Apparently they thought they were imperial topazes. Although," he fingered a short drop, "it seems they are equally rare."

She nodded absently, fascinated by his creamy fingers against her cinnamon flesh. She looked up to catch his eyes in the mirror and found he was already there, waiting for her; she felt his weight settle more firmly on her shoulders. Against her back. "Lex?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?" she murmured.

Lex slipped the third button of her red dress-shirt. "Your shirt wasn't showing off your jewelry to its best effect." He traced his thumb down the center of the gold-lace cage, down the longest drop, until the backs of his fingers brushed the insides of her breasts. "There are matching earrings -- long like this one." He toyed with he long drop, fingering her redgold braids over her left shoulder.

Isis leaned into him, tipping back her head. "You're still not getting any."

Lex burst into surprised laughter.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Lex felt Isis' pulse jump under his hands as they turned. The smile never left her face he saw from the corner of his eye in the mirror.

"No, Aunt Suli. Apparently I made a funny."

"I see. I was just looking for Kalil. He has the baby and I want to feed her."

"If we see them we'll send them . . ."

"To the kitchen."

"Kitchen. Right-o, Aunt Suli."

"You know you two look cute together."

"Thanks Aunt Suli. I think." As soon as Suli was gone Isis turned in Lex's arms and bumped her forehead against his shoulder. She gripped his sweater in her fists and held herself close to him, letting out a shaky laugh.

Lex felt a fine tremor rise from her like buzzing electricity. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. For a second I thought it was dad. I think. I don't know." She laughed again, self-deprecating. "See Lex, I'm not nearly as in control as you think I am."

"Neither am I," he whispered.

Isis smiled. She turned back to the mirror. "Aunt Suli's right," she noted, taking in her red dress-shirt, charcoal kerchief-style skirt and matching boots against Lex's charcoal sweater and gray slacks. "We're starting to do that couple thing."

"Heaven forbid."

She chuckled, fingering her gilt-lace cage. "Let's go out to that show, Lex. Daddy gave me the perfect outfit to go with this. You two didn't plan this, did you?" Lex shook his head, his smile vaguely patronizing. "Doesn't matter -- it's perfect. I want people to be unable to speak to me."

Chuckling, Lex kissed Isis' hair.

*

Friday, Dec. 27

Chloe could feel herself rising from unconsciousness. But, God, if Pete wasn't trying to pull her back!

And he stank. Chloe was sorry to say it, to even think it -- she dashed the tears from her eyes -- but it was true. There were going to be scars on her ankles . . .

And Clark just stood there! But then he had turned and a piece of his face was missing.

She'd be damned, though, if she let either of them keep her here. Really damned. Stuck in a world as real as Alice's Looking Glass . . .but so much more terrifying than anything Carroll had envisioned. Besides, she couldn't save them anyway. It wasn't fair of them to keep her with them.

Daddy?

He didn't seem to hear her.

Daddy?! Chloe kept climbing toward consciousness. Knowing that you are dreaming and unable to wake. She could see him on her left. Talking to someone else?

DADDY!

"Yes sweetheart?" Gabe turned to his daughter.

Chloe nearly sobbed with relief.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

"I dreamed, I dreamed I was climbing and . . ."

*

"Ma'am? Ma'am?"

Isis shrieked. Awake. Hand over her heart.

"Ma'am, are you all right?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, thank you. Could I have a glass of . . .of apple juice."

"We're out."

"Do you have orange juice?"

The flight attendant nodded and left.

Isis felt her heart trip under her hand. Her throat closing. She rubbed her left hand against her thigh to dry the sweat. Closed her eyes.

Her heart raced. Her breathing was shallow again. And she hadn't even gone back to sleep. Just the images. Behind her eyelids.

What she really wanted to do was drop her head between her legs.

What she really wanted to do was curl up into a ball. And maybe cry. Instead she stared into the middle space in front of her chair, focusing on her breathing, trying to bring down--

Her orange juice swung into view. It felt like home and her mother who had always given her orange juice when she was upset or had to swallow some noxious medicine.

Isis sipped her drink and missed her mother. "Thank you."

Lex stepped around her. "You're welcome. Are you okay?"

Be a wide-eyed innocent. "Yeah, fine. Just had this wiggy dream. I can't even remember what it's about now." Climbing Blood Stench Bones Blood Scars Climbing See me! Stench Grabbing Bones Scars Let me GO!!

"Good."

"Lex, where are we, do you know?"

"We're circling Metropolis International."

*

Dedications: of course to all my faithful readers and those ppl who review. You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me, and not just the "oh this is wonderful" ones, but the ones that ask questions and the ones that ask me where i've been all their fanfic-reading life....although I will admit that the latter has been more of an ego-boost. lol.