A/N:Was that the distant sound of thunder?
xxxxxx
Later that night Lex lay awake, Ashley sleeping peacefully against his shoulder. The sheets twining around them like vines on a tree. He rubbed his thumb against her bare shoulder, staring blindly into the warm night air.
He felt so complete, so whole. Everything was right, everything was perfect. The happiness he felt was total, all encompassing. Life had taken a very different turn then he had foreseen. If someone had asked him, just a year ago, if he thought he could ever be this happy, Lex would have laughed in their face. He would have said happiness was a myth, a fairytale. Now he knew it could happen, it was something that could be touched and held. His happiness was right here in his arms.
xxxxxx
Once they returned to The Metro things went back into high gear. The recording began again and Lex was putting more time in at LuthorCorp. It was a while before they broke the news to the press.
Ashley had made a weekend trip to Gotham to tell Bruce in person. He was happy for her, though she could tell he was reserved. He had accepted Lex since the kidnapping incident. But he still felt Ash was too young for such a serous involvement. He did not want her to get hurt. Still he had cupped her cheek and told her as long as she was happy he was happy.
Her father was less enthusiastic but then he was not feeling well. The doctors told her his health had taken a downward turn once more. They predicted he had about two years left, maybe less. Ashley had left with a sadness that colored her joy. Despite the knowledge that her father was dying Ashley moved forward and kept her head high.
The new album was going well, she had included a song in support of Gotham City's protector, she titled it 'Dark Angel'. She knew Bruce would kill her when he heard it but she felt she had the right.
Maybe if the city's favorite daughter showed her approval of The Bat, others would follow suit. Lex had liked the song and found that it had become one of his favorites off the new CD. The title of her first CD had stuck and everyone referred to her as -The Girl From Gotham' now. Lex and Bruce had both found it immensely amusing she now had that moniker.
The summer was ending and things were blissful for the lovers, between their joy in each other and their delight with the world around them. Lionel was not pleased to hear about the engagement, he called at least twice a week to attempt to talk Lex out of it. He even tried to pay Ashley off; she had literally spit in his face before having him escorted out of the studio.
It took less time to finish the second album and when Ashley was not doing interviews or choosing costumes for the next tour, she was making wedding plans. The excitement of the entire event was building quickly. The media loved it, tabloids used tons of ink to speculate and predict the wedding that would unite the two most powerful families in America.
The summer finally fled and made way for autumn. The fall winds blew into metropolis with a heavy storm front, the city got more rain then it had seen in months, the weather men said it would stay for a long time. Ashley escaped the damp and unpleasant storms with a trip to Manhattan for the final shooting on her new video.
Vi was worried about Ashley; she was looking more then a bit peaked and had not been her usual energetic self. That fact had caused them to need to do several reshoots to finish. Vi was concerned that Ash could be coming down with something, not good with the tour right around the corner. She got more worried when on the fifth day in NY, after reshoots were completed, Ashley pulled her aside.
"Vi, I need to get back to Metropolis tonight, can you handle the paper work and bring me the promotional photos when they arrive?" her voice was low and her eyes held a furtive glimmer. The purple haired girl nodded and grasped her friend by the arm.
"Ash honey, is everything ok. You seem a little distracted." She asked with honest concern. Ashley looked away and chewed her lip for a moment, when she looked at Vi she shrugged.
"I just have something I have to do as soon as possible. Make the excuses for me please." Ashley gave her a smile and left before Vi could say anything else. The girl shook her head and returned to packing up her gear.
Ashley took a red-eye, unable to sleep the whole flight. She was both terrified and excited, she could not make up her mind. But her heart pounded hard with the knowledge she carried. The plane landed in Metropolis a little after 7am.
After dropping her things at the penthouse, she dismissed her driver and got into the red Mercedes Lex had given her and headed for the loft. The rain was holding off but the smoke colored sky threatened more very soon. She parked her car in her space and dashed to the steps as a few sprinkles began to fall. Phillips was at the door, blinking at her with a startled expression. She smiled wide at him and held up a hand.
"Hello Robert, and good morning, don't buzz him, I want to make it a surprise." She never stopped moving and hopped into the elevator before he could respond. As the car moved upward, Phillips finally found his voice.
"Oh he'll be surprised that's for sure." He mumbled. The guard knew this was going to be a bad day.
Ash put her key in the lock and slipped into the loft as quietly as she could. She dropped the keys on the table by the door and walked swiftly across the room. Her eyes adjusted to the gloom as she passed the sitting area and her gaze fell on the coffee table. There was an empty champagne bottle and two glasses sitting out.
Ashley felt an ice-cold hand grasp her throat and she stopped. She walked with hesitant steps to the table; there was a pair of black, women's pumps sitting on the floor. She reached out a shaking hand and picked up one crystal flute, the rim was smeared with deep red lipstick. Her vision began to go white at the edges her breath felt like fire in her chest. Her wide eyes turned and looked at the stairs.
The glass still gripped in her small hand, she turned and with slow steps went up the spiral staircase. When she reached the top, thunder crashed loud enough to make her jump and the clouds belched out a torrent of rain. The sound drummed on the many skylights in the roof of the loft.
Ashley swallowed the lump in her throat and moved down the hall. As she passed by, a slow trickle of water began to drip from a tiny crack in the skylight at the top of the stairs, forming a small pool on the marble.
Ashley struggled with the feeling of nausea that took hold of her stomach. Her vision continued to waver and she realized she was gasping her breath in small pants. Her left hand came up and pushed the thick curtain aside while her right still held the wineglass tight.
Her eyes fell on the bed and found... Lex asleep. The dark sheet resting on his hips, one bare foot poking out, he was alone. She took a deep breath and leaned her hand against the wall, she was freaking out over nothing. She had started to chuckle to herself when to her right, the bathroom door opened.
A tall, thin girl with tangled, brown hair walked out, she was completely nude. She turned her head and looked at Ashley. The two girls stared at each other for a long moment; the naked girl suddenly arched an eyebrow and gave Ashley a dirty smile. She flipped her hair and sauntered to the bed, climbing in next to the sleeping Lex.
Ashley felt her blood roaring in her head, she knew what people meant when they said they were so angry they were seeing red. With an anguished scream, she hurled the glass at the girl's head. The girl screeched and jumped out of the bed. Ashley shot across the room; she caught the girl by the hair and drew her fist back. The punch was good and solid, blood spouted from the split in the girl's lip.
Lex felt as if he was swimming thru mud as the sounds of screaming and glass shattering roused him. He opened blurred eyes to make out the form of Ashley running across the bedroom. He sat up, confused, his vision cleared a bit more and he watched her collide with a very nude Ariel.
What the fuck?
He scrambled out of the bed and fumbled for a pair of pants.
Oh no, please no, don't let this be happening!
Ashley had knocked Ariel to the floor and was sitting on the taller girl's chest; she was punching her repeatedly in the face. Lex, tripping over his own feet, reached out, wrapped his arms around Ash, and pulled her off the bleeding girl.
Ariel cowered on the floor crying and shielding her face. Lex could feel Ashley shaking with extreme violence in his arms. Fuck, how had this happened? He could not remember, the night before a swirl of images in his now throbbing head. He forced himself to focus.
"Ariel, leave now!" he said in a broken and graveled voice. The girl scurried to her feet and gathered her meager garments that were strewn about the room. She gave the ridged pair a fleeting glance as she ran out of the room, pulling her dress on as she went. When she reached the elevator, she leaned against the wall and waited for the lift to deliver her to the first floor.
This was not what she had bargained for, that bitch was not supposed to be in town. This was going to raise the price. She was not being paid enough to take a beating from a crazy fiancée.
No, this was definitely going to cost the old dog a lot more.
The elevator stopped, Ariel staggered out and down the hall. Phillips saw her coming and intercepted her exit. He looked her over and shook his head, reaching into his pocket he took out a handkerchief.
He handed her the cloth and told one of the men to get the car. Ariel pressed the cloth to her bleeding lip and nose. She was going to look a fright when the blood stopped. Her vapid blue eyes flashed with indignation.
"That crazy bitch hit me!" she whined, Robert just gave her a blank look. She pulled her shoulders back and made a nasty face. "I'm gonna sue her ass!" Ariel spat.
Phillips took her by the elbow and walked her to the door. He opened an umbrella to shield her from the rain. The black car pulled up to the entrance, and Phillips opened the back door. As he put the bleeding girl in the car, he had one thing to say.
"Miss, Let me give you some advice. Go home, forget about everything and do not come back." He slammed the door shut in her face and the car moved away.
Robert Phillips stood there for a moment as the rain poured down around him and pondered what he should do. There was a sneaky sense of pride in Ashley that crept into his mind. She had socked the slut, good girl! He knew Miss Embers was a tough young woman, he hoped she could hold up against Lex.
xxxxxx
Neither Ashley nor Lex moved until the sound of Ariel's departure had passed, both remained still and stiff, breathing rapidly. The door slammed, Ashley felt her mind begin to coalesce once more. She registered that Lex was holding her arms tight in his own and she bristled.
"Don't touch me!" she hissed striking him in the ribs with her elbows. He released her immediately and she walked to the glass doors. With an angry hand, she wrenched the curtains aside and pressed her fevered head to the cold glass. The rain sheeted down the window in unabated fury. The pain finally began to settle; the sobs were silent at first.
Lex stood mute, watching as her shoulders began to shake with her crying. He stumbled backward and sat on the bed, hands to his head, elbows on his knees. He tried to remember what had happened.
He could recall meeting Lance for drinks, the young playboy wanted to congratulate Lex on his engagement. Lex showed up at the trendy but exclusive club only to find that Lance had brought Ariel with him. Lex had not spoken to her since he told her not to call him anymore, almost a year ago. She was cool, smiled her fake smile and told him she wished him well. His head hurt badly but he continued to struggle with the memories.
He could remember only having two drinks, actually one and a half. The middle of the second drink is where things got hazy. After that, it was all a blank until he awoke to the catfight in his bedroom.
How had he gotten home and why the fuck was Ariel in his bed, naked, he really did not want to answer that. He could not accept that he had gotten drunk and cheated on Ashley so easily, it just did not feel right. A cold realization dawned in Lex's bewildered brain. Looking up at her, he stood on shaking legs and spoke slowly.
"Ashley, I know how this looks but let me explain please." He pleaded with her. She shook her head not listening to him, her crying now had volume and she just kept repeating.
"Why? Why, Lex?" The heartbreak in her voice wrenched at him, making his own heart contract painfully behind his ribcage. Ashley turned and faced him, her eyes dark and flat, she was in great pain.
"To think I came home...to...to..." she looked away as another wave of tears overtook her ability to speak. Lex moved toward her, his hands reaching out to hold her. She flinched from his touch and moved away.
"But, Ashley I am trying to tell you." He worked to keep his voice steady. "I-I think I was set up. I think she drugged me last night." She looked at him with doubt in her green gaze.
As she studied him, a clear image of that girl on Lex's arm the night they met surfaced in her mind. With a gasp, she wrapped her arms around her body and glared at him.
"You know her." she stated coldly. "You used to fuck her a lot, didn't you?" Lex took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Ashley lost what little control she had left, her natural urge to runaway kicked in.
She started to cross the room, hoping to get away as fast as she could. Lex reached out to stop her, not wanting her to leave until he had convinced her he was innocent. She pushed him away with more strength then he had expected and still unsteady on his feet, Lex stumbled backward.
Ashley darted thru the curtain and down the hall. Lex gave chase, calling her name frantically. He dove thru the velvet and suddenly time switched into slow motion.
Ashley reached the top of the stairs and her boot came down in the large puddle of water that had collected on the marble tile. She slipped, hands flailing out for balance and suddenly she pitched forward and went head first down the stairs. Struggling to make his body move faster Lex could hear every bang and thump as she fell all the way down to the cement floor.
He finally reached the top of the stairs to see her head hit the pavement with a loud crack. She lay still on her left side, not moving at all while Lex almost fell down the stairs himself as he tried to get to her.
"No! No, Ashley!" Lex was calling to her as he fell to his knees beside her. "Baby, please answer me!" he begged wanting to take her in his arms but his instincts told him not to move her. He stared in mind numbing horror for what felt like a long time. His logic finally kicked in and he raced to the call box. He hit the buzzer with all his weight and held it down, knowing his guards would know it meant emergency. He took two steps back and waited long seconds for Phillips to reply.
In reality, it was immediately, but to Lex, it felt like far, far too long. Robert's voice crackled over the speaker.
"Mr. Luthor, what do you need?" he asked dreading the answer. Lex pressed the speaker and tried to keep his voice steady.
"Robert, call an ambulance, Ashley just fell down the stairs! She is not responding." He pulled away for a moment and then pushed the button again. "After you call, get up here."
Phillips listened to the desperate sound in his boss's voice and prayed that he was genuine. Please God don't let him have pushed her. The guard prayed silently as he mobilized his men for the emergency.
Lex stumbled back to Ashley's still form and fell to his knees once more. He held her limp hand and begged her to wake. Sitting there waiting for help to arrive, Lex knew there was only one person he had to blame for this horrible event.
His Father.
xxxxxx
Three Hours Later: Metro General Hospital
Bruce Wayne charged into the emergency ward his heart beating like a drum, startling everyone he passed. He marched down the hall toward the slumped figure of Lex Luthor sitting in a plastic chair against the wall.
As Bruce approached, Lex raised red-rimmed eyes to the tall man. His face was parchment white and he had dark smears of blood on his lavender tee shirt. When he realized it was Bruce standing over him, Lex jumped to his feet. He clutched the wool coat in his hands and began to babble.
"Oh God Bruce! She fell, I tried to stop her but s-she ran and she fell... I-I couldn't reach her in time..." Lex felt the words rush out of him, his mind was unraveling.
Bruce pried the vice grip of Lex's fingers off him and pushed the younger man back down into the seat. Using all his mental will to quell his own overwhelming fear, Bruce spoke slowly.
"Lex, stop. Take a breath and tell me what happened, from the beginning." He said. Lex took a shuddering breath and nodded. He gathered his scattered thoughts and related the tale.
Lex explained the jumbled night and the rude awakening. How Ashley had attacked Ariel and his attempt to explain to Ashley. How she had not listened and ran, the horrifying fall that followed.
"The police found a broken skylight and a scuff mark on the floor." Lex said his voice still shaking. "They think she hit the puddle with the toe of her boot which caused her to slip. Her heel caught on the dry marble and that is what sent her down the stairs." Lex looked at Bruce with large empty eyes.
"She is in surgery now, they have not told me anything. But Bruce I know I was set up. It has to be my father. Lionel must have told her something, some lie to make her come home early so she could find...me with Ariel." Lex spoke with urgency. "You have to believe me, Bruce. I would never do that to Ashley. Never."
Bruce listened to Lex and watched his body language. He judged that whatever had happened, Lex truly believed he had been framed. Before he could respond, a doctor in green scrubs approached them and cleared his throat.
Both men shot to their feet and looked at him for a clue. The doctor was calm and looked from Lex to Bruce and back again.
"Mr. Luthor. Mr. Wayne. I am Doctor Richards, I have been attending to Miss Embers." He gave them both a gentle smile. "We have stabilized her and I can give you a report on her injuries now." He held out a hand and indicated that they should follow him into the private waiting room.
The two young men walked into the room and turned to face the doctor. Lex stood with his arms crossed over his chest, eyes intent on the man's face. Bruce stood with his hands balled into fists at his sides, shoulder to shoulder with Lex. The doctor closed the door and faced them.
"Ashley sustained a double fracture in her left arm as well as a dislocated shoulder. We have put the shoulder back in and set the bone. I am amazed she didn't break any other bones in the fall; she does have many bruises and contusions mostly located on her left side, where she hit the floor. Her face is badly bruised and there is one rather nasty contusion over her left brow bone that made us concerned." The man paused and held out a comforting hand. "But there is no internal swelling and her skull is not fractured in any way. However, the internal bleeding was the real danger, it took a lot of time to stop it. The hemorrhaging due to the tragic miscarriage added to the drastic blood loss."
The words flowed out of the doctor's mouth and Bruce felt his stomach contract. He looked at Lex and saw the blood drain from the younger man's face, for a moment Bruce was sure Lex was going to collapse.
He reached out and grabbed Lex's bicep very hard. The pain from Bruce's grip brought Lex's mind to sharp focus. The expression on his face tipped the doctor off and he stopped speaking, his own face showing sympathy.
"I take it you did not know about that yet." He said regretting having to be the one to break the news. Lex shook his head and dropped his gaze to the floor.
"That must be why she...came home early." He said in a horse whisper. Bruce felt his heart break; it broke for both his sweet cousin and for Lex, for what they had gained and lost in so short a time. The medical man bowed his head for a moment then continued.
"The summery is that Ashley is stable but we have been unable to wake her. I am putting her on special watch; we want to be sure she does not slip into a coma. You may both see her now if you wish. However, she is still unconscious. She is in room 321" He said and turned to leave.
Bruce reached out a staying hand.
"Dr. Richards, we need you to send a med tech to draw some of Mr. Luthor's blood. A tox-screen needs to be run on it. There is a very good probability he was drugged last night. We need to know with what." Bruce said smoothly. The doctor's eyes widened but to his credit, he did not question Bruce. He nodded and said he would have one sent up right away. The man left with out another word.
Lex continued to stare at the floor but he spoke with eerie calm.
"Thank you, Bruce." He said. "I don't think I could have put that thought together right now." Bruce put a hand on Lex's shoulder and shook him a little.
"Lex, you need to pull yourself together, for Ashley. She is going to need you to be clear and sure." He was a little gruff, but not unkind. Lex blinked at him and nodded again.
"Yes, I know." He answered as they walked out of the room. They walked toward Ashley's room. The crack of twin doors slamming against the wall brought all heads up and looking for the cause of the sudden noise.
Bruce heard Lex make a guttural sound as his father came striding down the hall, trench coat billowing out behind him. Bruce felt The Bat crawl up the back of his neck. Anger for his cousin's suffering made him step between Lex and the approaching freight train that was Lionel.
Knowing he had to intervene on Lex's behalf but not wanting the younger Luthor to see the confrontation Bruce made a quick decision. He pushed Lex toward the room and spoke in a dark voice.
"Go, see her. I will take care of him!" Bruce moved down the hall on collision course with a Luthor.
Lionel looked as if he was going to say something but Bruce never gave him the chance. Two large hands clutched Lionel by his Armani lapels and yanked him into an empty room.
As Bruce advanced on him, Lionel gained a true appreciation of just how big a man the young Bruce Wayne really was. Bruce's hand closed around Lionel's throat and slammed him against the wall. His head thumped the brick with a painful sound. His eyes were huge as he stared into the furious eyes of the young dilettante. Maybe he had underestimated the danger of this frivolous playboy.
Bruce tightened his fingers and spoke in a voice that came from a deep, dark, dank cave.
"I will speak and you will listen. You have nothing to say do you understand me, Luthor?" Bruce asked but did not wait for an answer he pushed on.
"You are a loathsome and vile excuse for a human being and until now I only considered you a person to avoid in social circles. Your sick games and the manipulations of your own son have brought my family into harms way. You are so envious of the love they share that you have not stopped, in every attempt to drive a wedge between them. It must be impossible for a soulless bastard like you to accept that here is something not even all your money and power could touch, could not buy. You are so twisted that you could not let your only son have that little joy, that one good thing that could make him a better man. You had to get your dirty fingers into it and taint it. I know it was you who set this in motion, I will have the report on what that hired whore drugged Lex with and I will expose you." Bruce took breath and gritted his teeth.
" When you set Lex up you did not expect Ashley to come home did you? There are probably pictures being developed right now that you intend to use as blackmail or leverage whichever works best. But she did come home and that threw wrench into your plans." Bruce took another breath steeling him self for what he had to say.
"I want you to think about this, maybe it will touch that black heart of yours but most likely not. In her pain and outrage she ran from him and fell, that fall landed her here fighting for her life and..." Bruce leaned in close to Lionel's face.
"It cost the life of your unborn grandchild." The Batman watched as the knowledge spread across Luthor's brain. He controlled the urge to snap the older man's neck.
"I want you to know it was your machinations that brought this about, it was your fucked up games that caused my cousin so much pain. You will not hurt her any further. Wherever those pictures are I suggest you destroy them, if you ever contact Ashley again or come anywhere near her I will annihilate you. I will also make it a point to help Lex in any way I can in his fight against you. From this moment on... Lionel Luthor, you are my enemy."
Bruce finished speaking and tossed Lionel to the floor before walking out.
xxxxx
Lex waited long enough to watch Bruce pull his father bodily into a room before he walked thru the door. The sound of the monitors beeping made his skin crawl, reminding him of his mother before she died.
Shaking off that morbid memory, he walked to the bedside and sank into the chair, reaching out he took her right hand to hold it tenderly. He ran his thumb over the abrasions on her knuckles, his eyes filling with tears.
Her face was a mass of black and blue marks, the egg shaped lump on her forehead a deep ugly color. He brought her fingers to his lips and let the tears fall unchecked.
He had wanted only to make her happy, to fill her with the same joy she gave him. Some how he had failed, failed to see his father's malice and how far he would take it. He had failed Ashley and the child he did not even know about. His grief was so keen he did not think he could live thru it.
He did not know how long he sat there, when the door creaked and Bruce stepped into the room Lex opened his eyes. Wayne looked apologetic and waved a hand.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but the med tech is here to take your blood." Bruce said in a low voice. Lex stood and let got of Ashley's hand. He sighed as he passed Bruce, saying nothing.
Bruce looked at his cousin with a heavy heart; she seemed so frail with all the wires and tubes connected to her. He winced at her injuries and moved to take the now vacant chair.
"Hey sweetie." He said his voice cracking. "You hang in there. I know you can hear me. Don't you even think about slipping away." There was a large lump in Bruce's throat; he swallowed several times trying to clear it. His hand moved up to brush her cheek as his eyes blurred with unshed tears.
"We would fall apart if you left us...so don't." Bruce sat and thought for a while, stroking her arm gently. He cleared his throat and spoke again, praying she would hear him.
"He loves you, he really does. I know you had a bad scare, but you need to know that it's not what you think. At least... I don't believe it is." Unable to go on Bruce lowered his head and worried the fabric of the blanket between his fingers.
The rhythm of the heart monitor changed and the beeps came faster. Bruce lifted his gaze to her face and watched her eyelids flutter. He held his breath and waited, afraid he would jinx it if he spoke. Ashley opened her dazed eyes fully and rolled them in his direction.
"Bruce." She croaked and he leaned closer. He held her hand tight and smiled.
"Don't talk sweetie. You need to rest." He said soothingly. She blinked several times and focused her gaze on him once more. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly, Bruce watched her remember the events that brought her to this point. Her eyes welled and she sucked in a long gasping breath. Bruce stood over her and spoke quickly.
"Shush, no don't cry. Talk to me. Do you have any physical pain?" he asked attempting to distract her. She looked around and tried to lift her left arm, the cast weighing heavy. She looked up at him with growing dread.
Ash pulled her right hand from his grasp and pushed the covers down. Her trembling hand slid over her flat belly, her eyes returned to his, questioning. Bruce could not hide the truth, it shown plain and clear on his face. Ashley began to moan in anguish, the sound fast becoming one word.
No.
She rolled away from him and curled around herself. Her small broken body began to shake and a gut-wrenching sob escaped her. The monitor went nuts her heart rate rising as the sorrow washed thru her. Bruce stood there helpless to comfort her, unable to ease her pain, he clenched his fists and let his own tears fall at last.
The door opened behind him and Lex stepped into the room. He looked at Ashley's heaving body and his heart was ripped by her crying. He took three quaking steps to the bed and reached out a hand to touch her bare foot.
"Ashley." he breathed her name. She froze, her body going still, her sobs ceasing in an instant. Bruce began to withdraw, not wanting to witness their pain. Lex moved closer to her moving his hand up to her shoulder. Ashley startled them both but suddenly shrieking and pulling away from Lex's touch.
"GET OUT! GO AWAY!" she snarled, closing tighter in on her self. "EVERYONE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Her weeping returned.
Lex stumbled back out the door as three nurses came running. Lex continued to fumble backward until he hit the wall and slid down to the floor in a boneless manner. He wrapped his arms around his knees and lowered his head.
His heart clenched in his chest as his ears rang with the tortured crying of the woman he loved and he knew there was nothing he could do to stop her pain.
Twenty minutes passed before her crying abated. Bruce walked out of Ashley's room and paused to study Lex. The young man had no moved from his position on the floor against the wall. He was folded in upon him self as if the posture could protect him from the hurt. Bruce crossed the hall and crouched down next to him.
"Lex." He said calmly. "They have sedated her. Dr. Richards says she will most likely sleep until tomorrow morning." Lex slowly raised his head enough to stared at Bruce's shoes. He felt raw and broken. Bruce thought he looked years younger then twenty. He helped Lex to stand and gripped him by the shoulder.
"I think we should go find ourselves a good stiff scotch. How about you?" Bruce said with a semi-smile, he wanted to draw the younger man out of the downward descent he had fallen into. Lex shrugged and began to walk along side him.
They went to Bruce's hotel room rather then the loft; Bruce did not want Lex to think too much about what had happened. He wanted to get Lex drunk so maybe he would sleep.
While they were starting their second glass, the hospital called and reported their findings on the toxicology scan of Lex's blood.
They found high levels of a drug usually used to treat dangerous psychotics. The drug would induce a sense of euphoria and a highly suggestible state of mind.
Lex grimaced at the information and took another swing from his glass. He was slumped in the plush chair in Bruce's hotel suite; the circles under his eyes were so dark they looked like bruises.
Bruce, ever the inquisitive one wanted to know more about this mysterious drug, he took out his laptop and started to search the web. When Bruce looked up from the screen a half hour later, Lex was asleep where he sat, empty glass tipping slightly in his left hand.
The information he had gathered explained Lex's black out, but it did not disprove the possibility that Lex could still have screwed Ariel. Nothing in the research said the sexual drive would be dampened by this drug, actually it leaned toward the opposite. Bruce wanted to set both Lex and Ashley's fears to rest but this was not going to help.
He closed the laptop and walked to the window, the rain had not let up all day. The storm clouds lent an unnatural darkness to the late afternoon. Strange to think it had been less then a day since this nightmare had begun.
Bruce stretched his back and reached for his forgotten glass. The golden liquid burned a path down his throat and Bruce felt the weight of it all begin to recede
xxxxxx
NY: The Four Season Hotel: Executive Suite
Violet Thunder was losing her patients fast. When Max Peterson had called and told her that Ashley had taken a bad fall and was in the hospital, her first instinct had been to rush back to Metropolis. The verbal lashing she got from him had not helped.
He was out of his mind, demanding to know what Ash was doing in Metropolis instead of NY, where she had work to finish. He took his frustrations out on the assistant and ordered her to pack up the crew and get back to The Metro.
Vi did not take his anger personally; he had a Hell of a problem to deal with. His star was out for the count, the tour would have to be suspended and did she know how much money he stood to lose. She really did not care what he had at stake; one of her friends was in surgery fighting to live and the other most likely in need of support. To Hell with his bottom line.
Vi directed the two bumbling girls the hotel had sent to assist her in packing up Ashley's belongings. She pondered, for the hundredth time, what could have pushed Ash to make that impromptu flight home. She was at a loss, the usually open girl had not confided in Vi what had been so important. Whatever it had been, it was moot now.
A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. She crossed the room and opened the door. A mail currier stood smiling and holding out a large manila envelope.
"Special delivery for Ashley Embers." He stated trying to peek around her hoping to catch a glimpse of the rock diva. Vi gave him an irritated look and held out her hand.
"She is not here, but I can sign for it. I am her PA." She said coolly. She took the electronic pad and signed her name before snatching the package from his fingers. She closed the door in his face and leaned against it. Her eyes traveled over the envelope and read the name of a photographic firm.
The PR photos for Ash to autograph, Vi surmised. She walked to her briefcase and slipped the package in. Ashley enjoyed signing pictures for her fans; it would be a fun activity for her to do while she recovered. Vi zipped the bag closed and glanced at the two girls.
"No, you idiots! That is NOT how you pack Paris couture!" she went to correct them, the package forgotten.
xxxxx
Metropolis: LuthorCorp Tower: Lionel Luthor's Office
Lionel paced the floor, outraged that he had been put on hold. This -operative' did not understand the gravity of his position. The job had been botched and Lionel wanted answers. The line click in his ear and the smug voice returned.
"So yeah, you have a problem?" he asked with impudence. Lionel gritted his teeth and spoke in a sibilant tone.
"My 'problem', as you put it, is that this job was not completed to my satisfaction." He said, rage simmering just barely below the surface. The man on the other end sighed and clicked his tongue.
"Hey man look we did our part. But your Intel was wrong. The Pop Princess was not supposed to be there. I am gonna have to raise the price for what she did to Ariel. The crazy b!tch cracked two of her teeth." He chuckled. Lionel growled.
"Who do you think you are dealing with? This is not a negotiation. Now, since you failed to carry out the plan as I instructed I want all the evidence. You will deliver it to me and forget about any further compensation for your whore." The line was silent for a beat and then the smug voice returned.
"Well... I can get you the negatives and such but the 'package' has already been delivered. Too late to get that back." He laughed again. Lionel felt a cool sensation flood his veins and he lashed out with venom.
"That is unacceptable! You will retrieve the package and you will clean up this mess! Or you will find your self soliciting your next client from the bottom of Hobb's River!" Luthor shouted before hanging up. He rubbed a hand across his forehead and pursed his lips. He leaned across his desk and buzzed his assistant.
"Ms. Tate, I need all available data on Bruce Wayne, now." He was curt. The efficient voice came back immediately.
"Yes, Mr. Luthor." Lionel walked to the long window, hands clasped behind his back and looked at the rain soaked city.
There was more to young Bruce Wayne then jet setting and philanthropy. Lionel aimed to find out what else there was hidden behind that charismatic smile, and when he did Wayne would find Luthors did not take well to threats. He ran his fingers across his throat, the skin still smarted from the grip Bruce had applied.
Yes, there had been darkness in the man's eyes that belied his façade, Lionel knew it was something he could exploit, a nasty smile spread over his lips.
"What is it that you hide, Bruce?" he whispered. "And what makes you think I will back down?"
xxxxxx
Lex had woken in the chair with a throbbing head and his defense mechanisms malfunctioning. He was slipping off the deep end, the walls had not yet fallen and the armor was missing in action, he was cold and angry. His soul felt stretched as on a rack of torture. He could not believe the feeling; this pain was beyond anything he had felt before. He left Bruce and went out into the rain with hollow eyes.
Once he had refreshed his blood alcohol levels, he went in search of Ariel. She had been his father's tool in destroying Lex's dreams. He wanted a word or two with her. He wanted to know what the going rate was for his happiness.
However, when he arrived at her apartment he found it empty, she was gone. Not a stick of furniture left, as if she had never been there at all. Lex cursed and slammed his fist thru a wall. Lionel had covered his tracks once again.
He had gone to the hospital next, to check on Ashley. Needing her more then he could express. Only wanting to comfort her, to hold her in his arms and let her know his love had not faltered. When the nurse told him Ashley refused to see him, he had acted rather badly. They had asked him to leave and not come back until he was sober. After that, he began to drink in earnest.
He returned to the loft and set about clearing the bar of it's stock. What the hell, he had lost everything he cared about. What did it really matter anyway. He was a Luthor and he had forgotten that fact. He sneered at himself as he tipped the vodka bottle back.
Luckily he passed out before he gave himself alcohol poisoning. Bruce had found him face down on the leather sofa, several hours later. He helped Lex to his feet and dumped him in the shower, turned the water on cold and walked away.
When the icy water hit him, Lex staggered to his feet and began a primal scream that drained him of every ounce of misery. He knew he could get thru to her, but it would never be the same. The purity of their love was gone. Lex wept for real and for true. This one thing, the only thing that had really mattered to him since his mother had died was now lost. Thanks to his Fucking Father.
When his throat gave out and he could scream no more a sliver of hope glimmered in Lex's brain. He had to prove that he had not fucked Ariel. That was the only thing that could salvage his relationship. He would need Bruce's help; they had to find the pictures his father had commissioned. Had to prove that it had been staged, if he could do that, he could win Ashley back. Nothing would fix the loss of the baby, but if he had her back, they could have another.
Lex now had a focus, something that cut through his pain and gave him hope. He pulled off the soaked garments and dried himself. He dressed quickly then went looking for Bruce.
The tall man was waiting for him in the living room. He looked Lex up and down, assessing his state of mind. He noted the glint in Lex's eyes.
"You have an idea?" he asked in his baritone voice. Lex nodded.
"I do and I will need Batman's help." He said looking Bruce dead in the eye. Wayne smiled slowly and crossed his arms.
"Then it's a good thing for you I know how to find him." Bruce said, laughing.
xxxxxx
The Next Day: Metro General Hospital
Ashley stared at the rain-spattered window and let her mind roll over everything Bruce had said to her. He had stopped in to see her earlier, the first visitor she had agreed to since she awoke the day before. He asked her why she refused to see Lex. She had not been able to explain. How do you explain the unexplainable?
Bruce had filled her in on the whole investigation into Lionel's set up and how it was not Lex's doing, any of it. A small part of her mind reached for that string and hung on for dear life. However, the larger part was in the midst of an emotional breakdown, she could not find the will to trust even her cousin's words. The fact that they had not been able to prove that Lex had not done what she feared he had, only added to the bloated doubt.
Bruce had told her that he understood her fear and urged her to open up to him. But, how could she? How could she hope to share the desolation she felt? The soul killing devastation she existed in? Though he loved her, Bruce could never understand the sorrow of the dream she had lost, it was something a man could never truly comprehend.
Lex.
Just thinking about him made her chest ache, she did feel guilty that she refused to allow him close. She just could not face the agony of looking into his eyes, not when she still suspected his actions, his love. Not when there was still the gulf between them. She had no clue how to bridge that gap, how to come back from this betrayal.
How could she convince herself to trust him, his words, and his love? Her eyes burned with tears she no longer had the saline to shed. She had cried herself dry; her body was empty, so very empty. When she thought about him she could feel the threat of madness as it pushed against her mind.
Bruce had said the doctors were worried about the depth of her depression. She needed to tell them how to help her, he begged. He was afraid, she knew he was. He feared she would go the route of her mother and drift into insanity, never to return. Ashley did not have the energy or the will to comfort him and sooth him, to assuage his fears.
Floating in the numbness of surrender, she had given up. Ashley Embers, the willful girl with enough guts to shoot a man dead, had gone. She left when the naked woman stepped into her view, when she fell to the concrete and lost the possibility of her dreams. Better to not think, to not feel anything, then to live with the pain. Her vision blurred as she let herself slip into another silent staring phase.
xxxxx
Later That Night
Ashley woke in a cold sweat, her body shaking all over. Her heart thumped painfully against her sternum. She looked around the dark room. The machines beeped in unfeeling continuation. She was alone. A small sob bubbled up in her and she wanted only one thing.
She fumbled with the call button and pressed it for the nurse. She lay back on the pillow and held her hand to her face. The nightmare had been so real. She jumped when the nurse opened the door, concern etched on her face. She moved to the bed and clicked on the soft light on the bedside table.
"What is it, Ashley?" the woman asked in a gentle voice. Ash smiled weakly at her, she was nice, her name as Donna. She had been very patient with Ashley, letting her be silent when the others tried to get her to engage in conversation. She reached out and clasped Donna's hand.
"Will you do me a favor, Donna?" she whispered. The woman nodded and held Ashley's hand.
"What can I do?" she asked in a maternal fashion. Ashley sat up, her face suddenly distressed.
"Will...will you call some one for me?" Ashley chewed on her bottom lip despite the swollen state it was in. Donna smoothed the hair back from Ashley's face.
"Whom do you want me to call?" she tried to give Ash a warm smile. It was good that she was reaching out, that she wanted to contact someone. Ashley sucked in a breath and whispered again.
"W-will...y- you call m-my fiancée, Lex Luthor?" she got the words out in a stuttering rush. Donna smiled very wide and patted the girl on her hand.
"Ashley, I don't need to. He has been here for the last five hours." Donna said standing up and walking to the door. She looked back at Ashley's stunned face.
"I will go get him." she gave Ash one more quick smile and left. Ashley lay back on the bed and pondered the nurse's words. He has been here for the last five hours. She felt something very close to good flutter in her chest.
Lex was pacing the waiting room floor, cell phone pressed to his ear. He and Bruce were still trying to track down the evidence and the missing girl. So far, they had not turned up much. Lex insisted that if he had to stay in one place while Bruce gallivanted around then that place would be the hospital. He wanted to be here in case...just in case.
He was tired, irritated, and emotionally drained. If one more sniveling photographer snuck in here, to get a picture of him waiting or worse try to get a picture of Ashley in her bed, he was going to have her moved to a private facility. He turned in his endless pacing and saw one of the pleasant nurses walking toward him. He snapped the phone shut, his heart in his throat. She smiled wide and beckoned to him.
"Mr. Luthor, she is asking for you." The woman seemed so excited for him. Lex could not move for a few beats. The reality of what she had said sank slowly into his mind. She gave him a funny look and his feet began to work again.
The room had a muted yellow light that made it feel much warmer then the industrial fluorescents. Ashley sat in the bed with her back to him; her long hair, braided by one of the nurses, fell to her tiny waist. She was sitting the same way she had been when he proposed to her in France; back to him, her small feet hanging over the edge. He wondered if she knew she had done that. He felt slight trepidation but moved calmly toward her.
"Ashley?" he said his voice breaking to his irritation. She turned and looked at him over her right shoulder. He saw her green eyes flash and she gave him a wobbly sort of smile.
"Hey, Slick." She said using her favorite nickname for him. She swallowed hard and reached to him with her good hand. "I had a real bad dream and I woke wanting to feel your arms around me. But you were not there." She looked at the floor and pouted before looked up again.
"I realized that was my fault. And I had to a-admit t-to myself t-that I-I just wanted you here." Her words began to break up, her eyes grew wet. Before she could say anything more she was in his arms. He held her to him, his face pressed to her hair.
"Oh sweetheart." He whispered. She held onto him, not wanting to let go, she felt like she was breaking all over again. Her face buried in his shirt she breathed him in.
The embrace was painful and comforting at the same time. When they finally let go, he sat next to her, she lowered her face, hiding. He reached out and lifted her chin, his fingers hovering over the gruesome bruises. He let his fingers drift to her hair, feeling the softness between his fingertips.
"You...you came home to tell me." He stated, she lost her breath at the raw emotion on his face. Unable to respond verbally Ashley, nodded biting her lip again. Lex winced and brought his thumb to her battered mouth, gently drawing the lip from her teeth.
"I am so sorry..."he began. She shook her head and pressed her fingers to his mouth.
"Not now." She said the tears spiking in her eyes again. "I just want you here, I want you to hold me." She looked at him her green gaze begging. He stifled his own need and nodded.
They shifted around until she could lie comfortably in his arms. Her head on his shoulder, her face tucked against his neck, broken arm resting on his hip. His arms encircled her waist, unwilling to let her go.
As she drifted off to sleep once more, Lex stared into the darkness. The sound of her even breathing made a chorus with the monitors, he felt her turmoil. She was both leaning to him and pulling away. If he did not convince her of his loyalty soon, he would lose her.
xxxxxx
Next Day: Metro General Hospital
Ashley dozed against her pillows while Lex sat in the chair by her bed, happy to just be near her. She had not been willing to speak about anything, just wanted him close though unable to break the silence that loomed larger with each passing hour. A nurse poked her head in and smiled at him.
"Sorry to disturb but Miss Embers' assistant is here and wanted to know if she could visit." Lex looked at Ashley as she shift her head and nodded to the woman.
She sat up, wincing at the pain of her stitches, Lex jumped to pile the pillows behind her. He made her as comfortable as he could, smoothing the covers over her lap. She gave him a small smile and whispered thank you. His hand trailed ghost like over her cheek.
Vi slipped her damp jacket off and draped it over her arm; she had come straight from the airport to see her friend. She picked up her bags as the nurse returned to lead her to Ash's room.
As she pushed the door open, her heart grew calm. There was Lex standing over Ashley, a gentle touch to her face before turning to greet Vi. Then her gaze fell on Ash and she had to stifle her gasp. Ashley caught the shock and gave her a twisted smile.
"Yeah I know, I look like death on a cracker." The girl said with bitter humor. Vi dropped her bags and moved quickly to embrace her dear friend.
As the two women hugged, Lex reflected on how close they had become. Vi had always been one of the few people in his life who did not care how much money he had or what his last name was. She just liked him for him. Though they had dallied with each other on more then one occasion there was no awkwardness, Vi was far too easy going for that kind of hang up. He knew in Violet, Ashley had a true friend, someone who would protect her no matter what.
He knew how fierce the girl could be when someone she cared for was threatened. A small smile found its way to his lips as he recalled the time an over zealous tabloid hack had cornered them in a nightclub.
The jerk kept pressing Lex for any dirt that could be scrounged, wanting to know who the girl with him was. When Lex brushed him off for the sixth time the man got nasty and said some rather despicable things. Vi had stepped forward and clutched the man's balls in a vice grip. She lifted him up slightly and told him if he did not fuck off, she was going to have his sack for a change purse. Lex had laughed about it for weeks.
The girls parted and Vi smiled at him. He stood up, hands in pockets and gave his friend an honest face. She looked from Ashley to Lex, her curiosity plain. Before anyone could speak, Lex's cell phone rang. He grimaced and took the call, backing out into the hall.
"Lex speaking." He said flatly.
"It's Bruce, you need to meet me at the police station downtown right now." Bruce's voice was grim. "They just pulled Ariel's body off the bank of the West River." Lex cursed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was not good.
"Ok I will be right there." He said before hanging up. He stepped back into the room. Ash and Vi were speaking softly and he hated to interrupt them.
"I'm sorry," he said moving to the bedside. "I have to leave for a short time." He leaned down to place a small kiss on Ashley's cheek. She stilled and closed her eyes, neither leaning to his kiss nor pulling away. Lex flinched inwardly.
"I will be back in a half an hour." He said giving Vi a nod before leaving once more. As the door closed Vi looked at Ash, the girl's face was tipped down and she fidgeted with the bedding.
"Ashley, what happened?" she asked, a sense of foreboding crawled up her back when the girl raised her head, eyes filled with tears. Ashley poured out the sordid tale to her friend. Between crying jags she gave every sullied detail. Vi listened, eyes wide, mouth agape, her heart aching.
"Oh sweetie!" she gasped and hugged the younger girl to her again. She ran her hand in comforting circles over Ashley's back.
"I can't believe that he would do that. It has to be a plot of Fucking Lionel's. You have to be strong." She whispered. Ashley continued in a shaking voice.
"I never liked that Cunt anyway." Vi said when Ash told her about Ariel's involvement. Vi hugged her again and tried to reassure her. Ashley clung to Vi and sobbed, amazed she still could. Once the unpleasant story had been told, they fell to talking about nicer things.
Vi pulled out her laptop and booted up the finished video. The final editing had been completed just before she left NY. She was glad she had it to show her friend, hoping it would distract Ash for a while.
The video was for 'Dark Angel' the song Ash had written about her cousin, though Vi did not know that. She, like the rest of the world, thought it was about the unknown man in black who endeavored to save a city.
A few months before, they had been in Gotham and Vi had the thrill of actually seeing the infamous Bat Signal ablaze in the night sky. She had been so stunned and excited that she sat down and drew a sketch of the image.
Later she had taken the sketch, turned it into a stylized logo and had it silk-screened on a shirt for Ash. The girl had been delighted with the gift and had chosen to wear it in the video.
They watched the glossy short as it streamed across the computer screen. It was good, very good. Ashley allowed herself the pleasure of enjoying her work, for a short while.
xxxxxx
Bruce and Lex walked back into the hospital, deep in conversation. The fact that Ariel was dead left them with many unanswered questions. They needed to find out who she had been working with, who had gathered the incriminating evidence. Bruce had someone searching for the type of low life's that did that kind of work; they hoped they would find their culprit soon. The nurses and interns bustled around them as they came to a stop outside Ashley's room.
"Lex, I need to you be honest with me." Bruce said looking him in the eye. Lex squared his shoulders and nodded. Bruce took a breath and held out one hand.
"You are certain you do not remember what really happened?" he asked hating to press the issue. Lex blinked and his jaw tightened.
"Bruce, I wish to God I could remember, but I do not." He said evenly. The two men stared at each other in commiserating silence.
xxxxxx
"Hey," Vi said closing her laptop. "I have a great idea." she gave Ash a playful grin and went to her briefcase. She rummaged for a moment and came back with the manila envelope. She pulled the bed tray over and settled it in front of Ashley.
"The promo pictures came just before I left. I thought you might like to do some sighing to pass the time." She set the package down on the tray and smiled. Ashley almost giggled; Vi was always looking for the fun in everything
"I know how you love fan work." She patted Ashley on the shoulder and turned away once more. "Let me get your favorite pen." She began to rummage the bag again.
Ashley picked up the package and ripped open the seal. Her hand slipped inside and pulled out the thick stack of photos. Turning them around she felt her blood turn to ice. Numbly her fingers sorted thru the pictures. Vi heard Ashley gasp brokenly and stood up.
Ashley let out a blood-curdling scream and hurled the photos across the room. Vi watched them fall to the floor and her stomach turned over. They were not promotional photos of the rock diva. Clear and pornographically to the point, these photos showed that Lex had in fact done 'the deed'.
In the hall, Bruce and Lex jumped as the harsh wail emanated from her room. They stumble over each other as they burst into the room. Ashley had leapt from her bed, tearing the IV from her arm to crouch in a corner screaming and hysterical. Vi was frantically snatching up pictures from the floor and sobbing herself.
"I didn't know I didn't know" the purple haired girl repeated in a high voice
Their eyes fell on one 8x10 at their feet. Lex and Ariel, no doubt left to what they had done.
Nurses jostle in behind them, two racing to Ashley and trying to get a handle on her. The other pushed both men out of the room. They stood mutely as her screams continued. Vi surfaced, offensive evidence crumpled in her hands, her face streaked with tears.
"I didn't know what they were." She said looking at Bruce. Lex turned from them and walked silently away.