"You're just full of surprises," she held out her hands in front of her.
"Just because you didn't see a television in 'this museum' doesn't mean there isn't one," he smiled and shut the door behind them.
He had led her to a room some distance down the hall. It looked like many of the others in the castle. However, there was an expensive television – much like the one Lionel Luthor had in his office – on a large well-built cart against the wall. She got the impression that it was meant to be mobile – it probably was the only one in the mansion. "Do you even know how to use it?" she quipped as she watched him move to the television.
He looked at it, "You stare at it." He pointed to it and he looked back to her.
"Good enough," she grinned, walking to the posh couch that was in front of the television – a low coffee table between them. There were other chairs in the room, but they were pushed off to the side – at inadequate angles to the television.
Lex bent at the legs and opened the cabinet doors on the cart. He thought for a moment and pushed a button. The screen turned on and was a bright blue, waiting for input. And he was worried he wouldn't remember how to use it. He grabbed a case from beside the DVD player, opened it, and put the disk inside the player. He smiled.
"What are we watching?" she asked from behind him.
Still holding the case, he straightened and turned to her. He took a few steps closer to her and handed her the case with a smirk. He was quite pleased with himself.
She knew what it was before she read the cover. She had it and knew what the cover looked like. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie. She smiled softly, "When did you get this?"
"A while ago," he said vaguely. More like he was on the internet ordering it right after he found the watch in his pocket – right after she said she would see him soon.
She gave him a knowing look and handed the box back to him, "Have you even seen this?"
He studied the box in his hand, "Not exactly."
"And you realize," she looked at him playfully, "If it starts, we have to watch the whole thing." It was a statement, not a question.
That's the plan, Lex thought. "You make it sound like a threat," he lightly tossed the movie case onto the table.
"We'll see what you think in about a half hour," she started to slowly back up to the door.
He noticed her movement and was about to question it, but she spoke again.
"I'll be right back," she smiled and gestured for him to sit down.
She stopped in front of the doors to Lex's office. She placed her hand on the door frame and peered in. She felt slightly guilty about this. She should just ask Lex. That would lead to questions…
She listened… No one was coming. She walked into the office. Just do what you have to do, Rhone, and then get out. …Why was she feeling guilty? If anything, he was getting the better end of the deal here… Maybe because it was still strangely dishonest. …Just do it. She walked forward.
"You're up late," Martha Kent said as she shut the screen door behind her.
Jonathon didn't move from his position. His hands still rested on the porch railing as he surveyed the legacy that was The Kent farm. "I'm just planning out my day tomorrow," he said after a moment.
Martha crossed her arms over her chest to ward off the chill in the air as she walked up behind him. She could tell that her husband was stressing over something. They had been married long enough for her to read him and she had a pretty good idea what was wrong, "Is this about Rhone?" she asked as she placed a hand on his back.
He couldn't help but smile as he moved his gaze to the railing in front of him. His wife had gotten to know him pretty well over the years. "The thought had crossed my mind," he looked to her.
"I'm surprised you managed to keep it to yourself when she mentioned going to see Lex," she leaned into him.
"It seems that everyone forgot to mention that she and Lex Luthor were such good friends," Jonathon had an idea that his wife knew – he knew Clark had "forgotten" to mention it.
Martha rested her head on his shoulder but remained silent – Clark had mentioned that Lex and Rhone were friends previously.
He exhaled and put his arm around his wife. He knew that he could be slightly stubborn when it came to the Luthors. It had been brought to his attention more than once. "She knows Clark's secret, Martha," he said what had really been on his mind.
She closed her eyes for a moment and relaxed her shoulders. "She has her own secret to protect," she tried to explain, "And she does."
"That doesn't mean anything," he said honestly.
"I don't think she would betray Clark's secret," Martha said simply.
After a moment, he said, "I don't either. It's just…" He really didn't know how to finish his thought.
She knew how much he worried about their family staying together, she had the same concerns. But she trusted Rhone, had had a feeling about her since she had met her – they all did. …The girl called her mom… Martha wrapped her arms around him and gave him a squeeze in an attempt to convey her thoughts.
He kissed her softly just above her forehead; he understood. He knew his wife worried; she was just less vocal about her concerns. …He still didn't trust the Luthors…
Lex looked to the door when it clicked open. "I was just about to organize a search party," he looked up at her.
"Unfamiliar kitchens," she shook her head and set down some of the food that she had collected in the kitchen. "I would have asked you for help, but…" she let her voice drift, implying that she would know her way around it better than he would.
He ignored her implication, smiling through an attempted look of annoyance.
She noticed that of the three cushions on the couch, he was on the middle one. She seized the bottle of water that she had set down with the other food and took a position next to the left arm rest of the couch. She rested her left arm on the arm rest and brought her legs up to her chest. He just might hate this, she smiled to herself.
He leaned forward and snatched the remote control from the low table. He leaned back and turned to her with a smirk. Then he lifted the remote and hit "play." Why is she all the way over there? …Necklace. Watch. We should definitely be in a state of tactile contact, Lex assured himself that the natural progression of such things had not changed that much since he had come to Smallville. Hell, right now they should be… He felt heat on his cheeks. He quickly picked up another remote and used it to dim the lights to a theater level.
He tried to remember if he had had this kind of trouble with a woman before. …No. Well, it wasn't exactly trouble. Did he ever have this kind of problem reading a woman before? A more applicable question would be if he ever bothered to really try and read one before. …No.
He realized he was staring at her when she looked over at him. "Do you want a," he picked up one of the bags that she brought and read the label, "Chocolate chip cookie?" Great cover, Lex, he scolded himself.
"Do I have to fetch something first?" she asked.
"Bringing them up here should suffice," he smiled and took one for himself. He looked at the cookie. He never ate these. What were they doing in his house?
She laughed and took a chocolate chip cookie. She turned back to the screen. That was – odd. She wondered if she could put her arm around him. It wouldn't be very traditional, but it would be so… Who was she kidding? If she touched him he would wrinkle. She would disrupt his faultlessness. …Maybe she should ask him about Victoria Hardwick. Why would he send her the necklace if he wasn't even a little bit interested…? No. That's ridiculous. You're friends. Buddies. Just like every other guy that you know – have ever known. You're just one of the guys to him. Except that this is the one guy that you want to… Life can be so cruel.
"Ok," he sighed after a while, "Are those guys ever going away?"
"What guys? I hate to break it to you, but Ruth and Cal are the main characters," she laughed.
"No," he shook his head, "The three guys at the bottom." He pointed with the partially nibbled cookie he had been holding – the same cookie he had been working on for over twenty minutes.
She laughed again, "That is the movie." …How long did it take the guy to eat one cookie?
"The three guys at the bottom?" he asked one more time, just to make sure he was getting this right.
"Yes," she nodded very slowly and looked at him with a smile.
He looked back to the screen, "What does that have to do with the beginning?"
"The live action stuff with the mad scientist? It's just there to hold the show together," she informed him, "There's no real plot there – at least that affects the rest of the show."
He looked back to her, "And this was a television show? There are more of these?"
"I hate to break it to you, but this is the highest budget it ever had," she pointed to the screen, "This is the high quality stuff – the motion picture."
This was the high quality stuff? "So should I be watching the movie or listening to them?" he might as well just ask.
"Both," she assured him, "You get used to it."