Dedicated: Auroris for making me get it in gear, Darlene for asking the best questions, and wahintoe for reviewing every chapter.

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New Year . . .Same Old Me

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Monday, Dec. 30

Chloe threw her arms around her father's neck. "Thank you Daddy!"

"Chloe, let me put down our bags at least."

The sprightly blond released her father, grinning madly. "I'm gonna go help…someone!"

Lana and Gabe watched Chloe bound out of the room. "Hey, I was the one who said you shouldn't let her have the double espresso on the plane."

Gabe sighed.

"Clark," Pete called down the hall, "pretend that stuff's heavy. Chloe's coming… And she's hyper."

"Hey guys!"

"See."

"Pe-ete!"

"Wha-at?"

Chloe giggled. "So hey, where's your stuff?"

"Oh, Clark's already brought the last of it in. Right Clark?"

Confused, Clark asked, "Right what?"

Pete slapped his friend on the back. "Nothing, man. Hey, where's Lana?"

"Helping Dad unpack. God, I can't believe we're in Gotham City! Where's Isis?"

"With Lex getting extra room keys," Clark told her.

Isis watched Lex from the corner of her eyes as he paced behind her, while the hotel manager finished activating the last of the swipe-card keys. "Thank you, Mr. Parchester."

"Our pleasure, Ms. Ross. Please extend our best wishes to Mr. Luthor and his guests."

"I will, thank you," she said flashing a pleasant, if unconsciously dismissive, smile.

"No, Dad, I will not be home for New Years Eve," Lex was saying very carefully, as if trying not to yell, as she approached. "I'm certain my secretary, Mrs. Cauldhaume, told you of my plans."

Silence save for Lex tapping his foot and the sound of blood rushing in Isis' ears. The lobby was nearly deserted.

"Dad, in the last eight years we've spent two New Years Eves together. I need not remind you that they were both disastrous.

"I seriously doubt that they will improve, Dad. We don't seem to mix well when in forced company. Especially if there's alcohol," he added sardonically. Lex looked up and at her and his smile was grim. "You know most families find excuses other than major bank holidays to get together."

Isis ran a comforting hand down Lex's arm before turning to sit in the wood and wrought-iron bench so close at hand.

"What is this really about, Dad? More often than not you have your own plans."

Lex's voice had dropped to a fierce whisper, "She's dead, Dad. You can't use Mom against me. It doesn't work anymore," he said with livid stillness.

"Look, I've got to go. If you had wanted to spend time with me you should have let me know a little more in advance, as it is I've already committed myself and my time to very important associates.

"I could care less if you like them or not." Snap.

Isis wrapped her arms around Lex's back, touching her forehead to the back of his skull before pulling away. "And who won that round?"

Lex slipped his silver wireless phone into his trouser pockets. "God only knows and probably cares less." He stalked toward the elevator bank, Isis watching him with quirked brows. "Someone sounds unhappy," she said to the potted plants drolly, following after.

Gabriel Sullivan was waiting when the elevator doors opened. "I was starting to worry. I didn't think spare--"

Lex pushed past him.

"--keys . . . Was it something I said?"

"Something Lionel Luthor said," Isis explained.

"I see now." Their eyes met and she saw that he did understand, and probably better than she. Isis took his arm and stepped out the elevator. "Shall we?"

Gabe bowed graciously.

"Oh, before I forget . . . The keys!"

"Well Chloe and Lana are in your suite."

"Then lead on good sir!"

Three hours later it was sometime after ten and the boys had gone in search of food. Lana rolled here eyes, licking her fingers. "You mean Clark went to hunt down Lex and told Pete it was a food run so he'd go with."

"Basically," Chloe agreed, Isis nodding. "You know sometimes I wonder about that boy."

Isis broke off a piece of chocolate from the oversized bar sitting in the midst of them. "Which boy, Chloe?"

"Clark," she and Lana answered.

Chloe turned to Lana. "You too?"

"Hey just 'cause I'm not interested doesn't mean I'm blind."

Isis flopped onto her stomach. "So who are you interested in Lana?" She offered the chocolate to the other girls.

Lana, blushing, refused.

"She's not interested in anyone right now," Chloe answered for her, snapping off a brown brick.

Frowning Isis turned over on her back. "Yeah, I heard about the breakup with Whitney."

"Well he seems to be taking it well." Chloe turned to her roommate. "You broke up with him Lana, not the other way around. Get over it."

Lana took the silver-wrapped chocolate from Isis and bit off a chunk. "You're right, Chloe," she said around a full mouth. "I'm the low-life bastard, why am I still moping over him?"

"I dunno."

"Nope, no clue."

"You guys!" Lana tossed a pillow at her friends.

Lex caught it. "Something personal against me, Miss Lang."

Clark and Pete spilled into the room they shared with Isis. "Look who we found," Pete said with quirked brow.

"I wasn't hiding Mr. Ross."

Pete clapped his hand on Lex's shoulder, "Dude if you call me 'Mr. Ross' again I'm gonna sneak into your room and super-glue a wig on that bald head of yours while you sleep." When he smiled Lex finally saw the family resemblance.

"Can I help bro?" Isis slid silkily from the bed. "Someone's got to take pictures."

"Hey--" Clark stopped and flushed as he found himself under the sudden intense scrutiny of five pairs of eyes. Three of whom looked much better in plaid boxers than he did, in his humble opinion. "Uh, I was just wondering why Isis calls Pete 'bro' all the time. Jeez, what's with the killer looks?"

Chloe scooted to the edge of the bed. "Done anything to warrant a killer look, Clark?"

"Uh . . ."

"Yeah, Clark," Lana joined in, "been doing anything naughty we should know about?"

"No, I un . . ."

"Chloe and Lana are right, Clark," Isis said. They watched Clark visibly restrain himself from pulling away as Isis invaded his personal space. "You and Pete and Lex were gone a long time. Anything you want to share with the girls?"

He shook his head once, quickly, in sharp negation.

"No?" Chloe had joined Isis, mimicking her intense scrutiny. When Isis raised her hand to near-caress his jaw, Chloe did the same.

Clark imagined he felt their hands on his feverish skin. He imagined they were blessedly cool. He couldn't stop the involuntary flinch when they raised their hands to eye level.

"I don't bite, Clark."

"I might," Chloe muttered.

Chuckling, Isis abandoned Clark to the petite blonde. "Or maybe I should be asking you, Lex. Have you been corrupting these fine young gentlemen?"

Lex didn't seem to mind the invasion of personal space at all. "Why would I tell you if I had?"

"To gloat." She turned to Pete, who had perched on the arm of a chair, and winked.

"Do you think so little of me, Miss Ross?"

"Sometimes." She circled him a if he were a sculpture done in the round. "What do you think, Lana? Would Lex, ahem, kiss and tell shall we say?"

The girls laughed at Pete and Clark's outraged cries.

"Just a figure of speech boys. Relax. So what do you think, Lana, being his business partner and all?"

The brunette unfolded herself from the bed. "I think . . ." They had Lex sandwiched between them, as close as they could come without touching. "I think he would."

"Do you, Miss Lang?" Lex nearly purred.

"Maybe not in so many words, but you'd let us know." Lana cocked her head from side to side, examining Lex with bird eyes, as if that would reveal his mystery. "Yeah. He'd let us know. Somehow."

Isis turned away from Lex. "Then what about my bro, Pete? Would you give us ladies a play-by-play if you guys had had . . .fun without us? Hmm?" She circled around the chair until she could kneel in the seat and hug her cousin around the shoulders.

Chloe abandoned Clark with a smirk. "Nah. Pete would never tell."

Pete smiled suavely, hands resting on her hips as she stood between his legs.

"Yeah, Chloe's right," Lana agreed. "Pete may be a lady's man, but he doesn't talk about the ladies."

An acknowledging hand to Lana's hip, who was standing on Pete's left side.

Isis whispered, "That's my bro," into Pete's ear after a quick kiss to the temple. The four of them were grinning wildly. "Don't I know it," he murmured back.

Lex nudged Clark. "Explain to me how Pete just got all the women, including his own cousin?"

Clark could only shake his head and shrug.

"So," Pete clapped his hands together, "who's up for a game of Monopoly?"

"NO!" Clark and Lana shouted together. "You've obviously never played with Lex," Lana explained quickly.

Several game choices later, Pete was dealing out Uno cards. Isis surveyed her room. "Okay, this just isn't going to work here. Obviously the Gotham-Hilton never had any intentions of letting six of its guests play Uno in a bedroom.

"Sitting room anyone?"

"Sitting room!"

Isis took another look around as they filed out. Eesh! What a mess, she thought moving a chair.

"Hey Ice…"

"Yeah Pete?"

"Are you playing?"

"Of course. Deal me a hand. I'm just trying to straighten up a little. Me and Chloe and Lana are pigs," she said with a smile. "Call me when you guys figure out what the house rules are gonna be."

"Okay." Pete tapped the doorframe on his way out. "Deal Isis in, Lex."

Lex acknowledged him with a raised brows. "So what special rules do you generally play with?"

"What do you mean 'special rules?'" Chloe asked.

"Like Stacking for instance." Lex picked up the deck and hunted around for cards. "Say Lana put down a Red 1, the next person could put down either a red card or a 1--"

"We know that, Lex."

"Yes, but if that person has more than one of either of those cards…say for instance three 6s, he or she could put them all down assuming that at least on of those 6s is red and is the first card put down."

Chloe grinned. "Cool." Everyone else agreed. Lana asked if there were any other special rules they should know about.

"Well there're Pile-ons which is similar to Stacking--"

"I know that one," Clark interrupted. "That's when you do it with command cards, right?"

Pete shook his head. "No, that's when you stack with Draw cards."

Lex shrugged. "I've heard it used for both, but I think Mister-- I think Pete has the idea. Let's say Clark puts down a Yellow Draw 2. Now I would have to pick up two cards unless I have a Draw of my own. If I do I can then throw that down and make Lana pick up four."

"Do you still have to pick up?" Lana asked.

"No. Matter of fact let's say you have a Wild Draw 4, Lana. Now you can make Chloe pick up eight and change the color. Although come to think of it, I have played where you still had to pick up, so I would have gotten two and you, Lana, would have gotten four while Chloe got eight."

With narrowed eyes Chloe asked about Stacking Pile-ons.

Lex nodded. "Go for it."

Chloe dropped three Draw 2s onto the pile.

"What did I ever do to you," Pete asked Chloe melodramatically. "Ah, that's all right. Here ya go, Clark." Pete put down another Wild Draw 4.

There was a light shining in Chloe's eye as she began tallying Clark's total pick-up. "I love your house rules, Lex."

"Thank you Miss Sullivan. It is rather nice to see this all come back around, isn't it?"

"Hey," Clark protested, "I thought this was all hypothetical."

Lana picked up the deck. "C'mon Clark, take your cards like a man," she said as she began counting them out.

"Uh, how about I go get Isis so we can start the game for real?" Ignoring their parting comments he dashed out of the room. The peaches and cream bedroom seemed empty. "Isis?" Clark scanned the room with his X-ray vision. There was a lone skeleton slumped in the wing chair Pete had so recently vacated. It was wearing earrings.

"Isis?" he whispered, trying to still his pounding heart long enough to make sure that, yes, her ribs really were expanding and contracting. That, no, his freak alien eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

And they weren't because there she was. Perfectly okay. "Gotham's not Smallville, Clark," he muttered to himself. "Nothing weird happens here." Besides, who hated Clark enough to follow him all the way to Gotham?

That's really selfish, he thought to himself, crossing the expansive room. It's not even like I thought I was the one in trouble.

But half the time it's the people we care about who get hurt, not us directly, a mean voice reminded him.

Then again if someone were really going to attack Isis would it be because of you?

Clark looked down at Isis slumped in the wingchair as if she had only meant to nap but had fallen asleep instead.

Or because of Lex?

"No. That's not fair."

Isis stirred in her chair.

Frowning at his traitorous thoughts, Clark studied his best friend's cousin. Her sunset braids had been pulled back into one tight French braid until he could scarcely tell there was anything peculiar about it at all. He had never seen her in repose, Clark realized. That night she'd spent in the guest room after he had "saved" her…? No he hadn't seen her sleeping. His mom had woken her. And then none of them had fallen asleep on the plane…well except for Lex who had given the impression of being bored to tears by the trip. Besides, when would he have had a chance to see her sleeping but then anyway? It wasn't like she was their age and might sleep over at his house or something. Not that Clark had ever had a sleepover, he mused. But it was just that, he supposed, she looked so…vulnerable this way. Like anyone could get her. And he supposed they could. Well at least whatever dreams she was having were probably okay, Clark thought. They had had a pretty good day so she should have pretty good dreams. It just made sense.

"Clark, what took you so long?" Lex asked.

"And where's Isis?" Pete wanted to know.

Clark gestured back to the bedroom as he sat. "Asleep. It looks like she meant to sit down for a second and fell asleep."

Frowning, Lana smoothed her hair behind her ear, noting that she hadn't thought Isis looked tired.

"Traveling can be exhausting," Lex said, re-dealing the cards. "At least in my…limited experience."

Chloe pulled her legs up into her chair. "And she didn't sleep on the plane, did she?" No one answered her.

"It still seems weird to me," Lana noted casually.

Lex stopped, counting heads, before he finished dealing. "Would you like to play 7-cards or more?" he asked no one in particular. When no one answered he shrugged, placing the deck in the center of the small breakfast table and turning over the top-card. A Wild Draw 4. He put it at the bottom of the deck and flipped over the new top-card. A Blue 1. "We'll start with 7 cards and work up from there." He turned to his left. "You start Lana."

"This isn't a board meeting, Lex," she said, putting down a Blue 3. "Relax."

Chloe dropped two 3s, yellow and green.

"Again I say, what did I do to you Chloe?" Pete asked as he picked a card from the deck. "Hey are we picking one or until you get a card you can play?"

The consensus was to pick until a playable card was pulled.

"Of course you guys aren't the ones picking up," Pete grumped.

Three cards later he dropped a Yellow Skip. "Sorry Clark."

"Sure you are. Your go, Lex," but Lex was already putting down several cards.

"Uno pickup Lex!" Lana cried.

Chloe pulled back from her roomie. "Excited much, Lana?"

"That's only because you've never played anything with Lex before," she said with a smile as she plucked two cards from the deck and slid them to Lex.

"Very nicely played, Miss Lang," Lex said. "I don't think anyone else realized I had Uno."

Lana smiled appreciatively at Lex, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as everyone else gaped in shock.

"But we just started--" "That's impossible." "Lex how'd you…" "You sure you weren't cheating Luthor?"

"I assure you I wasn't Pete. Check for yourself."

Pete picked up the discard pile and counted off the top six cards. They were all Skips. Pete asked how many were in the deck.

"Eight," Lana said, reading the back of Chloe's battered box. "Two of each color."

"And I played one…"

"Which only leaves one more floating around," Lex finished. "Somewhere. Unless one of us wants to admit to having it?" Looks passed around the small circular table, but no one spoke up. "So, who's go is it?"

§§§

Tuesday, Dec. 31

Lex saw her lips moving as he rounded the corner into the nearly hidden conversation corner, but he could scarcely make out the whispered words.

"I…you…right way. I want you…me too…"

The silver ear buds flashed in her ears as Isis swayed with her reflection in the night-dark window. She turned back for a notebook left in one of the seats and saw Lex. She pulled the tiny speakers from her ears.

"You're up early. Or should I say late?"

Isis smiled. "Early. My body clock is, apparently, still set to Kansas gotta-go-to-work time."

Lex crossed the inconsequential distance between them. "Me too." His arms circled her chenille tuniced waist. "Funny thing about body clocks, huh?"

"Yeah." She stepped on his shod feet with her bare ones and brushed her lips across his. "Funny thing. So what kind of man wears shoes at 4 a.m.?" she asked.

"You want to help me get out of them?"

Isis pulled away from Lex. "Only if you're coming swimming with me."

"Isn't the pool closed now?"

She picked up a fluffy white towel and a bright orange-red scrap of spandex that had to be an as yet unseen swimsuit. He wondered if, unlike the other two suits he had seen, this one was a two-piece.

"I'm not averse to breaking and entering. Are you Lex?"

With a bow that hid his small smile, he said, "Lead the way."

§§§

"So what happened to the boys, Isis?" Lana asked. "I thought they were spending the day with us." She held a green-shimmering, pink blouse to her chest. Chloe made a face.

"Ice told them we were shopping and poof they were gone," Chloe answered. "I think Clark and Pete went with Dad sightseeing. I have no idea what happened to Lex," she said, looking pointedly at Isis.

With a roll of her eyes Isis told them that Lex had gone to speak to Bruce Wayne about business. "But just because I'm practically his personal secretary doesn't mean I know every step of his itinerary."

Lana pulled out an ice-blue cat-suit. "I don't know."

Chloe and Isis urged her to try it on. When Lana disappeared behind the dressing curtain, Isis jumped up and plucked what looked like a burnt orange rag from a rack. "This is so you, Clo."

Eyebrow up in disbelief Chloe shook her head. "I don't think there's enough cloth there for it to be anyone but Christina Aguilara."

"That's because a hanger doesn't do it justice. Your body, however, will do wonders for it."

Chloe frowned. "I'm pretty sure I don't wanna expose that much flesh."

"You won't. Oh Lana!"

Chloe turned. "Hey, there's a sex kitten under all that pink after all."

Lana surprised them all by clawing the air and letting out a growl Eartha Kitt would have been proud of.

The girls laughed. "Lana, help me convince Chloe to try this on. It'll bring out the gold in her skin," Isis pleaded.

"On one condition."

"What?"

"Tell us if you and Lex are an item."

Isis tossed the dress to Chloe. "Hurry up and try it on, Clo. I might as well break it to you both at the same time."

Lana flashed Isis a bright smile, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Hurry up, Chloe!"

Laughing, Isis beckoned her over and made her sit. "Do you have a pony-tail holder and brush in your bag?" Lana fetched them for her. In moments Lana was sporting a high ponytail. "Go check yourself out," Isis said.

"Wow." She turned back and forth in the mirror. "I do look hot."

"Now all you need is…" Isis came over and lowered the Lycra cat-suit's zipper until it was between her breasts. "Add a little body glitter and, voila!, one vamp at your service."

Lana giggled, twisting her hands together to keep from pulling the zipper back up.

"Okay," they turned at Chloe's voice, "I don't know what you meant by not showing any flesh, Isis, 'cause right about now I'm half naked."

"Bet Clark'll notice you now," Lana teased.

Chloe flushed as Isis threw a metallic sheath over her head.

"I think I'll try this on," Lana said to no one in particular.

"It'll work, Chloe! Just maybe something darker." Isis frowned, casting around for the same dress or another in the same color family.

"Isis, Chloe, I'm going to try this on," Lana said holding up a shimmering, bronze beaded dress.

"That's it! That's your color Chloe." With a not-so-subtle nudge she commanded her to, "Go look!"

Chloe turned, catching the edges of the gold mesh dress to keep from tripping over it. "Lana get back in here!" she called. "Isis is trying to get out of telling us about Lex."

"Hey! Yeah. C'mon Ice…"

The sunset-haired woman smiled, chagrined, a flush creeping past her cinnamon skin. "There's not much to tell."

"But there's something," Lana pressed.

Isis tugged on a braid. "Maybe."

Chloe and Lana pushed her back onto the low couch. "That's it, spill everything!"

"Off the record, Chloe?"

"Isis."

"I'm joking, Clo. I know that you wouldn't… I was just joking. See, Pete's not the only Ross who likes the taste of toe-jam."

Through their laughter, Lana and Chloe almost missed Isis' "We're dating."

"What?!" "Did I hear you right? Dating?"

Isis nodded. "A little."

"How do you date 'a little?'" Chloe asked.

"By not dating a lot? I don't know! We just are."

Lana looked at her slyly. "Have you two…"

"Have we what?"

"You know!"

"Oh come on, Isis!" from Chloe. "She wants to know if you and Lex have had sex. Done the wild thing. The forbidden dance. The vertical lambada. Jumped the--"

Through a haze of laughter induced tears Isis begged her to stop. "No. To all of the above."

"Really? I would have thought… I mean it's Lex, and its you! I mean if I were a man or a lesbian I'd be trying to get in your pants."

"Um, thanks Chloe. I think."

Lana frowned. "Is Lex not…" how to put it nicely "…good?"

Isis snorted. "Hardly. No, they're my issues. But trust me when I say Lex is trying valiantly to overcome them."

"And is it working?"

"More than he knows. Oh would you guys change already," she said, pushing them off the couch. "I'd like to try something on too!"

"I thought you knew what you were wearing, Isis."

"I do, Clo. That's never an excuse not to shop."

Lana raised her hand for a high-five. "Amen sister! Hey, Chloe, try this one on. It's the right color, but it might be tight." She handed over the tiny dress. "Besides," she whispered, "there's a lady over there who was eyeing it before."

"Lana!" Chloe and Isis cried, surprised.

"Hey, I practically had to fight her to get to the aisle with this dress. I just know she saw me looking at it."

"I say there's nothing like some good catty vengeance," Chloe said, taking the bronze number into the dressing room

§§§

"Chloe, sweetie…"

"Yeah Dad?"

"Do you want something from room service? Or do you think Lana might want something?"

"Um," she bit her lip, "probably not, Daddy. For both of us. We ate out with Isis." Chloe sat down in front of her laptop. Staring at it blankly. The girls had relocated to Isis' room -- forcing the boys to choose between rooming with Gabe Sullivan and Lex -- but Chloe had hauled her I-Mac into her dad's sitting room. Mostly from guilt, Gabe suspected.

There was a knock on the door. Chloe jumped up.

Gabe stood. "I've got it, sweetheart."

"Did you call room service already?"

He turned to her, his hand on the doorknob. "No…" He opened the door.

"Hi, I have a package for an…an Isis Ross?"

"I'm sorry, you have the wrong room. Isis is--"

Chloe slipped between her father and the door. "She's out Dad. Can we sign for it?" she asked the deliveryman.

"Uh, and you are…?"

"Gabriel Sullivan."

The deliveryman scrolled through an electronic list. "Yeah, sure. She's got you down as someone to sign for it. Right here, sir. Thank you." He slung a garment bag into Chloe's outstretched arms. "Happy New Years Eve."

"Happy New Years Eve," Gabe said as he closed them out. "What's that Chloe? Any idea?"

Chloe had walked into what had been her room, and what was now Pete's. "I have an idea, but it's not possible."

"What sweetie?"

She had unzipped the bag. "Ohmigod. She-- I can't believe Isis did this!"

"Did what, Chloe?"

"The dresses, Dad. The dresses from this morning. Isis bought them. I have to find Lana."

§§§

Isis slipped her key-card into her suite door.

"Ice--"

She turned.

"--I'm glad I caught you."

"Lex… How did everything go with Bruce?"

"Very well. It's all set, but that's not why I wanted to see you."

"Oh? Well whatever it is, Lex, I was taught not to have conversations in the hall. Besides, these bags are getting heavy."

Lex took the garment bags and held the door open for her. "I don't need a lot of your time, just letting you know the hot water's out in rooms four hundred through four-thirteen. Where do you want these?"

"Uh, the couch is fine," she called absently from her room. "So why are you telling me--" Isis stuck her head out the door. "No."

He nodded. "Afraid so."

"I'm 412!"

"And Gabe's 413."

Isis stomped her foot petulantly. "But I want a shower! A hot shower. Bastards."

The corner of Lex's lips curled in a smile. "Which is why I've come to offer my facilities."

She pointed, coming toward him slowly. "You're in 415."

"I'm in room 415."

"You have hot water."

"I have hot water."

"Lex stop echoing me!" she said, slapping his arm playfully

"Lex stop--"

"Oh!"

Lex caught Isis' wrists. Pulled her close. Held her as she struggled.

A long, long time ago Isis had learned to control the completely rational fear of being held captive. She reasoned with herself: it was something like claustrophobia -- except it was triggered by being held immobile. Which she guessed made it more like one of the a-phobias. Isis could never tell which was which. Or maybe more like paranoia. And by this point she felt herself walling up that part of her that wanted to fight Lex's gentle grip. Focused on the rise and fall of her chest she felt her heart slow its wild fluttering.

And when she opened her mouth there was Lex, sweet on her tongue, breathing in tandem.

His hands slid down her forearms, up to her wrists, pulling her arms over his shoulders. "What were you trying to tell me this morning?"

Breathe. Breathe Breathe breathe "What about this morning?" breathe breathe

"In the pool."

She shook her head. Breathed in. Breathed out. "Nothing."

Lex's hands slid up and down her sides. "It seemed like something this morning."

Oh God oh God oh God…just make him stop. Because it was just like claustrophobia.

"Or at least it did until you dove under the water and swam for the shallow end."

Thank you Lex for letting me laugh, she thought as she pulled out of his embrace. "It didn't seem like the right moment."

"Yes, I can see how admitting to mass murder while topless can be difficult."

"Would you stop being flippant, Lex?"

"Then why can't I get a straight answer from you Isis?" he snapped.

She became a whirlwind of motion -- picking up things, putting them down. Never staying in one place long. Then she stopped. Turned. "Y'know, I knew, I just knew this whole thing wouldn't work out," she said conversationally. "I guess if I was looking for a relationship based on something other than sex--"

A sound of disgust erupted from Lex.

"--then I should have known better than to turn to good ol' LL."

"Why do all our problems boil down to sex for you, Isis? Can you answer that?" he replied in kind.

Blindly she flung the white towel she'd picked up. "Because every relationship boils down to sex in the end, Lex! Forgive me if every experience has left me with a dire need to look for something more."

"Well how am I supposed to play your little game if you won't even tell me the rules?" Lex demanded.

"Game? You think this--"

"Yes! And frankly I'm tired of jumping through your hoops, Miss Ross." Lex felt his muscles loosen, relaxing as she tensed.

"This is not about me turning you into some…some trained boyfriend-puppy dog. You don't understand, this, my life--"

"Then make me understand, Isis," he countered.

A darkly amused noise escaped her. It was something like a laugh because it kept coming. "You want to understand? Okay. Take a seat Lex." Isis paced in front of the couch, unconsciously swinging her hips aggressively, roiling with angry, tense energy. She stopped in front of Les. "My first time was with the first guy to notice I was coming out of my ugly stage. We dated for a few weeks before he convinced me that if I really loved him -- which like an idiot I thought I did -- and if I really appreciated his attention I'd let him screw me. It was short, unamusing and he never spoke to me again. He zipped up his pants and told me that the door would lock behind me so he didn't have to walk me out."

Pacing. Again. "A year alone because, if nothing else, he'd opened my eyes when he opened my legs. Then college and Metro U and Gunther--"

"You and Gunther were a nauseatingly cute couple."

"He tried to rape me."

Lex brought his right ankle up, resting it on his opposing knee. "Bull."

Iced chocolate eyes bored into his. "Yes," she said calmly. "He did."

"Why would Gunther Fitzroy rape--"

"He didn't. He tried."

"…Gunther was a friend of mine."

Isis scoffed. "I thought you said Clark was your first and only friend."

A careless hand flicking away her comment and "We understood each other then," reminded him of Lionel.

"An understanding? You mean an understanding between addicts? The speed demon and the alcoholic: I can see it now."

"That's still not the Gunther that I knew. Know. Explain to me why--"

"I don't know why!" she howled. Rubbed her forehead and winced. "But what about how?" Isis pulled his ankle from his knee and, resting her palms on his knees, stood between his legs. "Maybe if I explain how you can tell me who's right. Maybe you can fix my peculiar paranoia.

"There had been a party. We were all there. You probably don't remember. God knows there were lots of parties. That's the only one I remember clearly. I could walk you through every moment." Her voice was hot. Searing. So far from ice. "But I won't. I'll skip to the end.

"Gunther's daddy had given him his own apartment in Metropolis. That's where we ended up. I'd been there before. We all had. It was cool. It wasn't a dorm room. I'm sure you remember it. We, Gunther and I, hadn't slept together yet, but we had clicked so fast. . . I would have. Really. I believe it to this day. But he was drunk. We both were, and I didn't want . . ."

"I don't want our first time to be when we're drunk."

"C'mon, sweetie." He walks toward you. "We're in love right?" You nod, backing away. This is a fun game you think. Let's see how long I can go without falling on myself. But he's still talking. Your boyfriend. What's he saying? "What'sit matter if we had a lil to drink. Trus' me, alcohol never hurt sex."

You giggle. "You can barely stand up straight," you tell him, but then you wonder if it's your vision that's wobbling, not his legs. "An' I can barely see straight. You gonna bang my belly-button, Lover-Boy?"

"I was teasing him, of course. Unless there's something sexually inviting in that. You're the experienced one, Lex. You tell me. But anyway, we're still circling around his apartment. I was too drunk to notice that we'd circled right to the couch. You remember the one, holds three lying-down comfortably? Four if everyone's thin? I'd never been much of a drinker before college but Gunther obviously was a better alcoholic than I was, because the next thing I remember . . ." Isis sucked in a shaky breath. "The next thing I remember besides the back of my knees hitting the couch . . ."

Can't breath. Can't see. Too much hair. Too much skin. Too much sweat. LET GO! "Gunther, let me go!" you say. And some part of you is thanking God that your 'Lover-Boy' has had so much to drink, because you're starting to think that maybe he's serious. Maybe this isn't a game.

"Just one more kiss, baby."

"You smell." Oh yeah, real smart, you think. And even though thinking is becoming a little easier you can't figure a way out of this one. You know it's bad, but not how---

"He grabbed me again."

"I said let me go! Said I didn't want our first time drunk!" You cross your arms over your chest. Righteous indignation never hurt anybody, did it? "I am . . . I am so really angry at you now! Call me a cab. I'm going home." And foot-stomping. That worked the last time you used it too.

But then time seems to go slow, like it has to make up for it's sudden jumps and leaps before by spreading itself thin now so, instead of missing things, not knowing how you got from here to there, you get to watch yourself die piece by piece. Because you know that the hulking monster rising up out of the post-midnight gloom, pulling back his hand slowly and so surely, has no intention of letting you leave alive.

It speaks but you won't know what it has called you for another four weeks. Surprisingly that will be the straw that breaks your vengefully long-suffering back. But it's now and all you hear are e l o n g a t e d syllables.

And the sound of heavy flesh connecting with your own.

Now the monster has a face. A name. Now your vision swims even more, although you'll swear you've never seen more clearly. Now you know what they mean by predators can smell fear because you smell it: yours and his. It's coming so thick, so full-bodied and multi-textured you might get drunk again if you don't stop staring at him. Oh and yes, that's the same look of horror you're sporting that you see on his face. But don't worry, there is ice forming in your veins as remorse fills his eyes. You'll get through this. If only you'll get up.

"I'd fallen, you see. Back on the couch. He was so, so tall above me. Immense. He had finally moved into the light. And while one part of me was so, so . . ." Isis dug her palms deeper into Lex's knees, "so furious, I could see that he was still aroused. He could have done it right then."

But he won't. Because all Lover-Boy can see is the rage and not the fear. He doesn't know you're the rabbit caught in the headlights. But every rabbit moves some time, or it dies.

"I remember levering myself up slowly , inching around the coffee table. He turned to follow me, just like we were still doing that stupid game of cat-and-mouse, but when I started to actually back away from him he didn't move. I guess Gunther watched me with his eyes. The light was behind him then so I really don't know, but I backed down that hall. I took one step back at a time until I knew he couldn't see me in the shadows, then I ran. I was four blocks away before I realized I had left my purse by the door. All my cash. My ID's. My gloves. It was cold that night. We'd taken a cab back to his place . . ." Isis' voice trailed off in a whisper.

Lex watched Isis come back from the dark place inside herselft. A place as tied up in her sensuality as it was with her sensual fear. He felt her push up on his knees. "Gotta go shower now. Tell Chloe and Lana the coats in the bag are a loan," she gestured to the garment bag beside them. "And make sure to check the door when you leave."

A sudden desperate urge to call her name, pull her back and let her see the dark places within surged through Lex. "You can't get in my room without me," he reminded her, rising slowly.

"How right you are. Lead the way, LL."

"Lex."

The right corner of her mouth lifted. "Lex."

It's a good thing he didn't go far because, in her haste to be clean, Isis forgot a towel. "And I don't really do bathrobes as drying devices."

Lex slipped into the humid heat of the bathroom and knew he was going to be red when he left, even if he got out right then. Sweat beaded along his upper lip, across his brow and between his shoulder blades.

"Just drop it on the sink or the toilet. I'll be out in a few," she called over the acoustic roar of water on tile.

The towel went on the sink-edge -- he got the closed toilet seat. "Why did you tell me that story, Ice?"

"Because you said you wanted to understand why all my issues boil down to sex." She didn't need to add the "Duh, you idiot." It came through loud and clear.

"Is it true?"

The sound of the water changed as she stopped moving. "Why would I lie?"

"Sympathy."

"Ha! If I wanted sympathy I could have gotten a shrink and a lawyer, instead I nearly flunked out, went back home and started all over again."

She was moving again. He could tell by how the sound of the water changed: softening as it hit her flesh, rushing when she cupped it to pour over her--

"They don't you know."

Lex shifted on the toilet seat. "What don't-- doesn't."

A high pitched tattoo of water on tile. "Boil down to sex. My problems."

She can't see him smirk, but its as much about him as it is about her, "Oh."

"Yeah, just the ones that concern relationships. Because, you know Lex, I thought that we both didn't want something serious."

"Sex isn't necessarily serious."

Water off. Which is a shame because he still wanted to climb in with her under a cascade of steam, kneel at her feet and confess. Let her be his Madonna.

"For me it is," she said. "Towel please?"

Lex was standing at the foggy shower door with the terrycloth waiting for her when she got out. "You know you'd never think so with the way you act. Sex looks pretty casual on you."

"Funny that." She left his almost stiff embrace. "It seems like every time something tragic happens to me I become fascinated with it. My mom dies and I have a death wish, visit cemeteries and start digging fast cars. Fast anything. I nearly get raped and what do I do? Become a sex kitten." She rowred at Lex's outline in the fogged mirror. "Having taken one psych class, my official diagnosis is it's a coping method. Don't worry Lex. When we get to Smallville I'll move out--"

"And what is with your threatening to leave every time something gets hard?" he said gripping her shoulders and giving her one fierce shake from behind.

She winced, gingerly touching her hairline. "That's one. I think I got that from being lost for eight hours in a mall when I was four. Now I don't get lost, I run."

Lex wanted to tell her to stop running. There was enough darkness in his past that he wasn't afraid of hers. Instead he said, "No more talk of moving out. I extended my hospitality as a friend, not a lover. If worse comes to worse we'll just find you a nice cell in the dungeon."

"Ha ha Lex. Get out of here. And bring me an extra towel too," she called as Lex slipped out.

"I heard you talking to Isis."

Lex turned to Peter Ross, standing just inside the doorway. "Yes. She forgot a towel for her hair. Might I ask how you got in here?" He plucked a towel from a pile the maid had left at the foot of the bed.

Pete twirled a nondescript white card between his index and middle fingers. "Clark gave it to me. Wanted to let you know that he'll be up for the shower later and thanks."

"He didn't have to do that," Lex said, thinking that the Rosses had an uncanny knack for appearing when he didn't necessarily want them.

"That's what I told him."

"Would you--"

"Lex, sometime today please!" Isis called through the door.

"Would you like to give Isis her towel," he said, offering Pete the terrycloth in his hands. "She's quite decent, I assure you."

"Jeez, Lex!" Isis stuck her head out the bathroom door, wet braids dripping. "I'll just get it my-- Pete. What're you doing here? Have you showered?"

"Yeah. It's only Clark left."

"Oh. Okay." She looked between the two men. "Are you guys just gonna let me drip all over the place or will one of you kindly hand me a towel?"

Pete strode across the room, took the terrycloth towel from Lex and handed it to Isis.

"Thanks," she said before slipping back into the bathroom.

§§§

They had just checked their coats. "I still can't believe how good the guys look," Lana said.

"I still can't believe you bought these dresses for us, Isis," Chloe said. "Excuse me, make that an entire outfit lest I forget the lovely shoes on our feet."

Isis shrugged. "They looked good on you. Think of them as belated Christmas gifts."

"I think Dad nearly had a heart attack when he saw it on me," Chloe said, finger the choker-like neck.

Lana rolled her eyes. "That's because she showed it to him without the overdress. I mean, look at it: it's one-shouldered--"

"A shoulder that comes up and wraps around my neck!"

"Which brings me to my second point of it being backless. And short!"

Chloe made a sound. "Because yours isn't?" she said, fingering Lana's rose-gold fringe.

Lana raised her bare arms and swung her hips, setting the beaded flapper-dress dancing. "At least the fringe makes it look longer."

"Until your first spin," Clark interjected.

Isis looked up from her purse. "Jealous Clark?"

"No. Just feeling protective."

The girls snorted as one.

"Well since you're so conscious of what I'm wearing, Clark, you can tell me if my hair's come out of the ponytail."

Chloe leaned over the whisper in Isis' ear: "And you know this is going to be, like, the high point of Clark's night."

Isis meowed.

"Am I being catty?"

"A little," Isis said, more than a bit amused.

"It's just that--
"Don't stomp your feet in heels, Clo. You'll twist an ankle."

"Ha ha, Isis." They had moved ahead of Clark and Lana. "I'm in this great outfit -- I'm practically naked for heaven's sake -- and he still doesn't see me."

Pete, Lex and Gabe slowly came to a halt in front of them as they encountered the receiving line. The din of the crowd rose from the sunken ballroom in shimmering waves of heat. Isis ran a hand down the smooth, flat face of her chain-main shirt. The metal, warm from her body, had a green-gold shimmer that sparkled in the twinkling lights --

"Are you sure that thing's gonna stay on right?" Pete turned and asked, eyes lingering on Chloe's body in its glowing sheath.

-- complimenting Chloe's yellow- and Lana's rose-gold.

Isis made a face and ignored her cousin. She turned to Chloe. "You know just because Clark needs another set of eyes, or two, doesn't mean everyone is so deficient."

Chloe rolled her eyes as she passed Isis to stand beside her father. They were almost ready to be announced. She turned and mouthed a "Yeah right," missing Pete's appreciative once over.

"Excuse me, Lex," she said as she slipped by, threading her arm through her father's.

Lex tapped Chloe's shoulder. "You know, Chloe," he murmured into her ear, a hand coming to rest on her left shoulder, "if I were Gabe I wouldn't have let you out of your room with that outfit on."

"Good thing you're not Dad."

"And if you were with me, Chloe, in that outfit, I don't think we would have made it out of the room regardless."

Chloe turned to stare at Lex, mouth agape, but he had already moved to the head of their little party.

Oblivious to the exchange, Pete and Clark debated where and with whom Clark should stand. It was obvious the big brunette wanted to stand with Lana, but Pete saw the way Chloe had been looking at Clark since they had landed. Just because she didn't love him didn't mean he would let Clark trample Chloe's heart with his well-meaning, if clumsy, feet.

Isis put a hand on both their elbows. "You're both my guests, so you can both escort me in," she said looking from one to the other, Pete on her right and Clark on her left. "Besides," she went on a she threaded her arms through theirs, "Lana has been taken care of and Lex can handle himself."

The boys turned their attention to the party in front of them, about to be announced. "Mister Alexander Joseph Luthor of Metropolis, Kansas; heir to the Luthor Estate and heir apparent to LuthorCorp," a slender white-haired man in black tails and white gloves called to no one in particular. Lex started down the stairs, greeting those who had congregated there as he went. "His guests, Mister Gabriel Sullivan and his daughters Chloe Sullivan and Lana Lang, of Smallville, Kansas."

Lana frowned and turned to Gabe. "He misunderstood."

"Who did?"

"That guy. The butler/announcer guy. He called me your daughter when he should have--"

Gabe cut her off with a paternal smile. "I told Lex to tell him that. We consider you part of the family, Lana. Isn't that right, Chloe?"

"Yup. All we need to do now is fight over the bathroom in the mornings and--"

"We already do."

Chloe shrugged. "See, it's official."

Behind them: "Miss Isis Madeleine-Michelle Ross of Gotham City; heiress of the Michael Estate, heir apparent of Ross Recycling and Michael's Manufacturing. Her guests Peter Ross and Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas.

"You look quite lovely, Miss Ross," the slender, white-haired man said.

Isis blushed, unaccountably embarrassed and shy. "Why thank you, Alfred. You're quite handsome in your tails. Much more so than any man here."

"Even you fine young escorts?"

She smiled impishly. "Especially them."

Gabe Sullivan was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs. He offered Isis his arm, which she took slipping from between Clark and Pete, and led them to their table where Lana and Chloe waited.

Frowning at the smooth expanse of Isis' milk-chocolate back -- a shade warmer than Pete's own complexion -- Clark asked his best friend if he was sure her top was going to hold up.

"That's what I asked," Pete said, exasperated. "She says the straps will hold it up fine."

"You mean the spaghetti straps over her shoulder blades and the…the glittery chain connecter-thingy?"

"Isis says the glittering chain connector-thingy is the key to holding it all together," but it didn't sound as if Pete took her word for it.

Clark rolled his eyes in an Oh Boy gesture.

As soon as they were oriented Isis was off to find Lex, "or Bruce. Whichever I run over first. I'll meet you on the dance floor. And remember, these people have no clue how young you are," she added sotto voce so Gabe wouldn't hear, but they weren't sure if it was an admonition…or incentive.

Pete pulled Chloe out of her seat. "So what're we waiting for already?"

§§§

"Aren't you gorgeous."

Clark turned to the stunning blond just behind him, nearly tripping over his own feet.

She chuckled huskily. "Yes you," she said in answer to his bewildered look. "The best ones never know how pretty they are."

Clark felt a blush rising when a deep masculine voice raised the hairs on the back of his neck: "Don't toy with him, Selina. It's not fair -- he doesn't have the experience we do."

A tall, well-built, dark haired man slid into Clark's line of sight. He held out his hand. "Bruce Wayne. And you must be…"

Clark took the hand, both his dad and Lex's voice noting the good grip. "I'm Clark. Clark Kent."

"Ah yes," Bruce said with an easy smile. "Isis' protégé."

"I am my own protégé," Isis said, coming upon the little group with a glass in hand. She inspected Clark critically. "If he's anyone's understudy I'd say he's Lex's."

"Oh? I thought he came with you?" Bruce turned to Clark. "Sorry to talk about you like you're not here."

Clark shrugged. "Happens more than you'd think."

Isis clicked her tongue. "My manners: Clark Kent this is Bruce Wayne--"

"I've already introduced myself."

"--our host for the evening," she went on as if he hadn't spoken. "And this stunning beauty is Selina Kyle, beloved Social Queen of Gotham. And Devourer of Men," she added cheekily.

Selina Kyle rolled her eyes before moving in for a cordial embrace. "Flatterer. And how is your father and your grandparents?"

"All well. And my namesake?"

"Isis is wonderful. As is my father, thank you for asking," Selina added meaningfully.

"If either your cat or your father were ill you wouldn't be here and we know it. Darn you and your big heart," Isis said with a smile.

The women clicked glasses as Selina took her leave. Bruce and Clark were deep in conversation. "No greeting for me, Bruce?"

He quirked an eyebrow, his bright blue eyes flashing. "And do you have a preference, my dear?"

"Charming of course."

Bruce took her hand in his, caressing her knuckles with his thumb. Slowly he lowered his mouth to them, eyes never leaving hers. "Bon soir, cherie." His lips touched her skin lightly, lingering a touch too long.

"Oh yes, now that was good."

"So," he straightened, still holding her hand, "will you be ready at the stroke of midnight?"

Clark looked between them, confused as Isis said, "Absolutely. Bruce, you really are the most charming man on earth." She reached up and laid a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'm gonna find Chloe and Lana, Clark. Enjoy yourself." And she was gone.

The next time she would see Clark would be from a platform looking out over the glittering crowd, standing on Lex's left. Selina Kyle would have her arm in his. She'd sigh. Then she would fall.

§§§

Chloe watched her father dance with Lana. Part of her was overjoyed that Clark was nowhere to be found. The other part of her was busy having itself a pity-party for the self-same reason. The bronze leather dress was short, tight and provocatively cut, while the shimmering gold overdress did nothing to hide the fact. What was wrong with that boy?

And wasn't that Peter Parker from the Daily Bugle in New York? He took all the Spiderman photos.

"Hey Chloe," Isis said, strolling her way. "Everyone abandon you?"

"Eh, kinda. Last I saw, Pete was chasing some redheaded bombshell around the buffet table."

"Well there seems to be a blond bombshell chasing after Clark." Uh oh. "Oh Chloe, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even brought him up."

"I'm all right." It's just my heart breaking, right?

Isis frowned in consternation. "If it makes you feel better, Selina's probably just toying with him to make Bruce jealous. They've had a long on-again, way-off-again relationship for years." Chloe's soft sigh and self-deprecating eye-roll let Isis know that it didn't but thank you. "Hey so where are your dad and Lana?"

"On the floor," Chloe said pointing with the all but forgotten glass in her hand. "Hey Isis, do you know that guy?"

Isis turned in the new direction Chloe pointed to. "Who, Peter Parker?" When Chloe nodded yes, Isis answered, "Only that he gets the most breathtaking shots of Spiderman I've ever seen. I don't know him personally though. You should talk to him."

Chloe flushed. "Me? No!"

Isis snorted. "Hey where did Chloe Sullivan, Intrepid Reporter go and who put this shy girl in her place? Obviously…" She plucked Chloe's soda from her hands and switched it for a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Obviously you need something a wee bit stronger, sweetums."

Not knowing whether to laugh or gawk at Isis, Chloe took a sip of her champagne. This was going to be an acquired taste. Apparently one she would acquire while talking to Parker, because Isis was pushing her in that direction.

Chloe would be with Parker when the floor-to-ceiling windows shattered. He would push her to the floor.

§§§

Pete and Clark were comparing notes at their table when Lana found them. "Having fun guys?"

"Pete is. I'm being stalked."

"By that blonde?"

"You saw her too?" Clark asked incredulously.

Lana looked to Pete for help. "Too?"

Pete smiled sympathetically. "We were just talking about it. I asked Clark what it was all about, you know kinda joking about sharing the wealth, and suddenly the big lug is telling me a sob story." Except the look he gave Lana said that Clark didn't know a good thing when it followed him around.

With her eyes Lana agreed.

"At first I thought Isis and Bruce had saved me," Clark said, "but then Selina found me again. I should have stayed with Bruce."

"Well…that's just too bad Clark," Lana said lamely. She took a quick glance around, sending the rose-gold fringe of her flapper dress dancing. Her slightest movement started it going so that she was constantly awash in the crystal music of the beads. "Speaking of being found…uh, Pete, how about you help me find, uh, Chloe! Yes, Chloe!"

Clark rose. "I'll come with you guys."

"No! No, no, you stay here in case she comes here. Looking for me. Right." Lana smoothed a hair behind her ear, forgetting that it was pulled up into a high, and rather tight, ponytail. She slipped her arm into Pete's and they were off before Clark could utter another protestation.

"Hey, there goes that blond again," Pete said, pointing discreetly. "And she's headed straight for Clark. We gotta go save him."

"Nuh uh." Lana kept a firm grip on Pete's arm. "Clark is a big boy. He needs some undying adoration tossed his way."

Pete grinned. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Well Chloe's always telling me to let loose my dark side."

"You're starting off pretty well."

"Thanks Pete. Hey, I actually see her. Chloe that is."

Pete craned his neck. "Oh yeah, she's standing with…Lex and Isis and is that that Wayne guy?"

Lana tiptoed precariously, still walking. "Think so. Who's the other guy?"

Pete shrugged. "Only one way to find out. Mind if we cut in?" he asked, pulling Lana with him into the group.

Immediately, Isis began introductions.

"Allow me," Lex said, interrupting. "Pete, Lana, let me introduce Bruce Wayne, our gracious host." Hands were shaken. "And Peter Parker of New York City."

A smile lit up Pete's face. "Always nice to meet a fellow Peter," he said as they shook hands. "Aren't you a reporter?"

"Actually he's a photographer," Chloe said.

"Hey, you get all those cool pictures of Spiderman!"

Parker didn't quite blush, but he was very modest about it.

"Those are some awesome shots man!"

"Well my boss doesn't think so."

"Sounds like an uptight SOB."

"Pete!" from the girls.

Parker grinned. "He is. But you didn't hear it from me," he said with a wink to Chloe. "Hey, so you never answered my question, Ms. Ross."

"Isis."

He flashed her a winning smile. "Isis it is."

"How often am I at the hauntingly gorgeous Wayne Manor? Almost never."

There were a chorus of Really?s and You're kiddings, to which Isis nodded. "Really. Gee, I think the last time I was at a Wayne party we were…six?" She looked to Bruce for help.

"I was seven."

"Whatever. And Mr. and Mrs. Wayne had invited my parents to -- well I guess it was a New Year's party then to. All I really remember was how huge everything seemed and how there were so many exquisitely beautiful people. Like I remember wondering if the Wayne's had invited every beautiful person in Gotham, and if I was the only kid."

"Which you weren't," Bruce said with a nod of his champagne glass.

Isis rolled her eyes. "The other thing I remember was a bright blue-eyed boy hiding behind his father's trousers."

Laughter tittered through the group.

"Until Dad maneuvered me behind Mom," Bruce said to the group's further amusement. "It's true. Still can't figure out how he did it. And there was Isis all done up in dark green velvet and taffeta--
"Behind my mother's skirt." She joined in the group giggles. "The only two children in the room and we couldn't say two words to each other."

"I think your parents wanted you to say hello, Isis, and you waved instead."

Isis shrugged. She took a long slow swallow of her champagne.

Chloe raised her glass. "You never told us how your mother died, Isis."

Pete and Lana were instantly shooting daggers at Chloe as the group suddenly quieted -- so no one missed Isis saying, "I killed her," excusing herself and walking away.

"Chloe!"

"I didn't mean it that way, I swear!"

Lex came up to her, watching Bruce go after Isis, Pete in tow. "We have to work on you foot-mouth coordination, Miss Sullivan."

"Don't I know it," she sobbed, face in her hands.

Bruce caught up to Isis in the long hall of the armory. She watched his shadow stretch to reach hers in the moonlit hall. "You know," she said with her back to him, "I didn't think coming here would be a problem. It's only been, what, fifteen years?"

"Sixteen," Bruce said softly.

"And we've seen each other at so many other functions. You'd think…"

Bruce placed a comforting hand on her left shoulder. "It's all right. I--"

She turned around and threw herself at him. Crying haltingly she said, "Sometimes…I still…think it's my…it's my fault…she's dead," clutching Bruce's lapels.

Stroking her bare back, Bruce held her as he cried, his face hard with determination as he stared at the unending dark. "I know Isis. You want vengeance, but you blame yourself." She nodded against his chest quieting. Bruce managed one more "I know," before Pete tapped him on the shoulder.

Isis looked up as she was suddenly released to find Pete just behind her confidant. Wordlessly she went to him.

Bruce left in the direction of his bedroom to change as the cousins held each other.

"C'mon," Pete said after a while. "We should be getting back. It's almost midnight."

Isis dried her eyes on a handkerchief Bruce must have pressed into her hand before disappearing. "Right, Lex has his big announcement to make."

They walked arm-in-arm back into the ballroom. Lana met them. "Are you all right? If it makes you feel better Chloe's really sorry."

"I'm okay, Lana. And tell Chloe it's all right. Everyone's allowed one."

"But Chloe's had dozens." Lana immediately slapped a hand over her mouth. An "Oh my God!" came muffled from her fingers as Isis and Pete grinned at her.

"You know I think Chloe's been a good influence," Pete said.

Lana pinched him.

"Ow! Too good."

Isis laughed harder. "Where…Where are Lex and Gabe?"

"Oh!" Lana cried. "They said to meet behind the dais."

"Okay. Thanks Lana. See you guys at the stroke of midnight."

Lana watched her dash off. "Ice isn't gonna…you know with us?"

"Guess not. But apparently Lex is making some big announcement. Guess we'll find out soon." Pete placed Lana's arm in his. "C'mon, let's go find a good spot."

Indeed most of the crowd seemed to be headed toward the raised platform in front of the two-story windows overlooking the grounds. "Pete, look," Lana said, "there's Clark with that blond. What'd he say her name was?"

"Selina Kyle. It doesn't look like he's enjoying himself."

"He'll get over it. She looks harmless." When Pete shot her a look she amended, "Sorta. Oh, c'mon, let's get closer. I bet Chloe and that Parker guy are up front."

They pushed their way through the thickening crowd. "Whatever it is, I bet it's gonna be good," Pete said.

"Excuse me."

Pete and Lana looked up as the murmuring died away. Their host had taken the podium and was tapping it. "Is this thing on?" The answering buzz of laughter harmonized with the feedback whine. Bruce smiled his brightest. "Well the moment we've all been waiting for is almost here. The wait-staff are going around passing out sparklers and glasses of champagne." He glanced at his watch. "Two more minutes. Hey, does anyone know all the words to Auld Lang Syne?" He grimaced at some of the choice remarks hurled his way from the crowd. "See if I invite you next time, Simmons." Alfred handed him a lit sparkler as the excitement rose in the room. "It's almost here -- old year gone and a new year coming. Thirty seconds!" In the background the band began a drum roll as the seconds ticked by. Bruce glanced at his watch then grinned at the crowd. "I hope you like this:

"Ten. Nine. Eight."

Pete spotted Chloe and Peter Parker as the crowd shifted.

"Six!"

And was that Isis standing very close to Lex and Mr. Sullivan near the back of the dais? It was. She saw him too and waved.

"Three! Two! ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

The beads of Lana's flapper dress hit Pete as she jumped and twirled, waving her sparkler. "Happy 2003, Pete!" Then she kissed him soundly on the lips.

Confetti rained down on them. Lana pulled away in wonder. Pete stared dumbfounded at her, wondering if any of their friends had seen.

As the initial commotion died down Bruce once again took the podium, his face smeared with lipstick. "Ahem, if I could have your attention for a moment. No, keep playing," he told the band when it seemed they would stop. "This is a reason to celebrate. My friend and old school mate -- at several institutions I might add -- Lex Luthor has an announcement to make. Lex?"

A cheer went up. Most of those gathered knew Lex, and even those who either disliked or were unaware of him were drunk enough to clap for anyone.

"Thank you, Bruce." He quickly scanned the crowd and was glad for Gabe and Isis, on his left and right respectively, behind him. "My announcement is brief, but I believe important." Suddenly there were bulbs flashing everywhere as the newshounds in attendance picked up the scent of the story they'd been promised.

Lex went on: "I have decided to break with my father's company, LuthorCorp--"

There was a collective intake of breath, followed quickly by sibilant whispering.

"--and start my own."

Silence.

Then just as suddenly a roar of applause. Questions were called out of the air: "What's it going to be called?"

"LexCorp."

"When will it be viable?"

"It's up and running now."

Which caused a terrific stir and begot the question: "So if it's already functioning why wait to announce it now?"

Lex tugged at the hem of his jacket. "I want a clean break from my father. What better time than the beginning of the New Year?"

"Does your father know you've managed a small coup?"

Lex smiled. He ignored the Parker fellow tugging Chloe away from the front of the crowd and said, "If you do your jobs right, he'll know tomorrow mo--"

The glass behind them shattered. Loudly. Isis watched Parker finally manage to get Chloe on the floor an instant before she was forced down herself.

"Stay down!" Bruce's rough voice ordered over the screams of his guests. But Bruce couldn't keep her from turning her head and seeing what was going on.

Men, clothed in black, were repelling into the house, presumably from the roof, and through the shattered windows. As they touched down they sprayed the air with sub-machine gun fire. Everyone who hadn't already dropped to the ground. Isis covered her head with her hands as bits of debris fell on her exposed back.

"Shut Up!" one of the black-clad men yelled, although it was unnecessary. The entire ballroom had fallen silent. He crunched his way from the windows, up the dais. Isis met Lex's eyes across the floor. Then they were blocked by the man's black boots. "Very nice," he said, his voice picked up and magnified by the microphones.

Then, for no apparent reason, he kicked Lex. Gabe and Isis let out a cry. The man bent down and grabbed Isis by her hair, pulling her up by the green-gold braids. Shrieking in agony she was hauled up against his chest. She felt the point of the sub-machine gun under chin. Through tears of pain she saw that men masked and dressed like her captor had fanned out among the party-goers. But where was Clar--
"Let her go."

Her captor spun them around so that they could see that Bruce had risen to his feet.

"Mr. Wayne, don't go doin' anything stupid. We don't want to hurt the pretty lady, do we?" Two masked men came to flank Bruce. "Besides," Isis' captor said, turning, "this is just an old fashioned robbery. All we want are the jewels," he said loud enough to be picked up by the microphones. "Starting with this." He plucked the tiara circling the bun atop Isis' head.

She struggled in his arms.

"I don't wanna hurt you, Miss Ross," he said into her ear, "but I will, so just you relax yourself." Grudgingly Isis did so. "That's a good girl." She stiffened in his arms as he laughed.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, but Isis quickly tuned him out as something far more interesting caught her eye. She could just make out Clark's broad shoulders as he turned down the hallway that would, she knew, lead him into the armory and from there to various parts of the house. Isis didn't know how Clark had managed to slip out from under their assailants' noses without getting shot -- she could see Selina giving one of the masked men the evil eye -- but she wished him Godspeed. Or faster. Had anyone else seen him? she wondered. Perhaps Bruce, but he was behind her. Isis cut her eyes to Lex, still on the floor beside Gabe. Their eyes met and he nodded ever so slightly. But how lon--

Isis was jerked back as her captor pulled her along as he walked backward. His nylon jacket scratched her bare back, but the indignity of it all was scratching at her pride.

Personally she'd never understood why the hostage always held the bad guys' restraining arm with both hands on TV. It seemed kind of stupid to her. If both hands were occupied how could she apply her Gotham Girl's Survival Kit knowledge? Surreptitiously, she reached around her back with her free hand. She grabbed and yanked her captors genitals thinking, See you need at least on hand to do this. Immediately he let her go, mouth open in a silent scream. Never one to waste the moment, she grabbed his submachine gun and pointed it at his head.

Something was going on behind her. Her actions had taken less than a minute, during which there seemed to be no sound and no time. Her senses came flooding back to life as she tried to make it look like she handled big guns on a daily basis. What she was hearing was probably Lex, Bruce and Gabe struggling against their own armed guards, who probably already had their weapons trained on the back of her head. She was just so friggin' tired of being the abductee, the bargaining chip…of being threatened. Had Lex been pulled up by his hair -- er, collar? No. Isis had. And why? Because she was a woman and--

Isis heard the distinctive sound of gun safeties clicked off and possibly one magazine being checked. Why couldn't Chloe have been the heroine? But, God, if she was gonna go -- not that she wanted to, mind -- it would be resisting to the last. Isis was not going to turn out of fear. No way. Nuh uh. No si--

"Isis," came Lex's voice. "It's okay, we've got them all covered."

She dared not peak around now that her former captor had recovered. It be just her luck for him to turn the whole thing on them. Motioning him up with the gun, Isis forced him to go before her as they turned…and found Bruce and Lex holding guns on the remaining thugs. Gabe was scanning the crowd. "They've got their guns trained on us, Lex."

"Ice, walk you friend to the podium please."

"Sure thing. You heard Lex. Walk!"

"Gabe, if you wouldn't mind?"

Rising from his covert position on the floor, Isis noticed Gabe Sullivan had the beginnings of a large knot on his forehead. He went to the mic. "Put the guns down or we shoot your leader and your friends."

No one moved.

Gabe covered the mic with one hand and, looking back, said, "Lex they aren't buying our bluff."

"Isis, bring the gun up to this guy's temple."

She did a double-take on Lex. "What?"

Bruce frowned. "Are you sure about this?"

"Trust me," he reassured them. "Gabe, go."

Swallowing visibly, Gabe said, "You have ten seconds then Isis kills him. Isis?"

She hoisted the weapon, stomach doing flip-flops.

"Ten…nine…eight…"

Her former captor's eyes were screwed shut.

"Seven…"

A gun hit the floor with a loud metallic thunk.

"All of them! Six…five…"

Several more followed. And more, until they had all given up their weapons. Women in ball-gowns, Selina Kyle and Chloe among them, and men in tuxes picked up the sub-machine guns as their own.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Isis lowered her weapon, arms trembling.

"EVERYBODY FREEZE!"

Heads whipped around as the Gotham Police Department streamed into the ballroom, Clark in tow.

"PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND PLACE YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEADS!"

Clark pushed his way to the officer in charge. Isis watched him gesticulate wildly as she lowered her weapon. There was nothing like being arrested for saving your own life. Everyone should try it, she thought.

"Think we're gonna get arrested?" Lex asked no one in particular.

Bruce shrugged. "It'd make for a spectacular ending to my party and a telling beginning to your corporation."

Lex laughed.

§§§

Lana kicked a glass shard toward a waiting dustpan. "Two points!" she proclaimed. Her friends cheered dutifully.

"Isis?"

She turned. "Yeah, Clo?"

"I'm really sorry about earlier."

Isis shrugged. "It wasn't completely your fault. I've been walking on eggshells since we got here. Anything would have set me off. Hey, so what happened with Parker?"

Beaming Chloe told her that they'd exchanged phone numbers, e-mail addresses and strange stories. "You wouldn't believe some of the things he's seen."

Gabe Sullivan put an arm around his daughter. "I'd always heard New York was a strange town. Maybe someday you'll visit?"

Chloe turned her megawatt smile on her dad.

Lex and Clark joined the group. "The limo's pulled up," Lex said. "Who's ready to go home?"

Five pairs of hands shot up.

§§§ §§§ §§§

Author's Note: so there's a very good reason why this section took so long to post. If you had read this story last week you could be reading it right now. Not that I blame you, mind -- I realize you had no reason to come looking for a story from me. Anywho, you can read my very good reason on my new update list Vashti's Stories. You can join at If you join you can ask me questions, find out about updates, or just annoy the heck outta me. Wait, rewind. Delete. Uh, and we can have lots of writer/reader fun. Weee!

vashti