Dealing with Devils

Abby Ebon

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Summary: House needs to get rid of Tritter- so he calls on an old favor. Lex is only too happy to do so- for a price. Smallville and House, M.D. crossover. Slightly Slashy, what with hints of blushes, and male/male crushes –snickers-

Disclaimer for "Dealing with Devils": I do not own "Smallville" or "House, M. D.".

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

In Cuddy's office, she waited till all three were seated, before she started asking questions.

"Firstly, Mr. Luther, may I ask why your personal business takes you here?" Lex just barely kept himself from grinning ear to ear.

"It's a matter concerning Dr. House and a Detective Tritter…" Lex had purposely let a little of the venom he felt for the man slip out of his tone, so much so, House glanced at him, and wondered if his call had been the only reason Lex had to 'dislike' Tritter.

Cuddy looked relieved, and Lex knew it was because she couldn't afford to deal with him.

"He is in the midst of interviewing my staff about Dr. House." Cuddy's tone of distaste was a clear signal about how she felt about that.

Lex glanced at Clark, both to make sure the bored-and-blank looking teen that was radiating 'ignore me', wasn't just pretending to not listen, like Lex had learned he did; and to see how much more Clark would want to hear before Lex had to send him out (which he wouldn't- he had brought him here after all) or see Clark's disappointment in him.

Lex gave Cuddy an unexpected smile.

"I'd like to speak with him, where is he…interviewing?" Cuddy gave him an answering smile.

Clark was put in mind of two human-shaped predators reaching an unspoken understanding that they would get rid of an intruder first- then deal with each other, if necessary.

Clark shook the disturbing image off in time to see Lex look at him and reach a decision.

"I imagine this won't take long, Clark, but I'd like to speak to him …alone." Clark knew all too well who 'he' was…

Cuddy, not wanting a teenager free to roam her hospital, quickly decided House was going to baby-sit.

"I understand Lex… I'll just… go downtown…" Clark murmured, slightly disappointed to not have anything planned; but unwilling to hinder Lex.

"No need, I'm sure House could keep an eye on him." Cuddy 'suggested' a slight smirk on her lips as she looked at House… who twitched…but didn't argue it, knowing he needed Lex- and was skating on thin ice with Cuddy.

None the less, who Lex had brought was intriguing; a boy with pretty blue eyes and messy black hair, who had Lex wrapped around his little pinky - yet the boy seemed oblivious - it wasn't a medical mystery, yet House wanted to know why none-the-less.

As if to prove House was on to something, Lex glanced at Clark; who nodded, knowing without knowing that the choice wasn't really his- Lex decided it wouldn't be such a bad thing for Clark to be watched…in the least, he wouldn't 'accidentally' see anything that way.

"Alright?" Lex asked Clark, needing to know he wouldn't take offence to being babysat; Clark glanced at House- then Cuddy, and nodded, not really wanting to be alone in New Jersey.

"Alright." Clark agreed with a shrug. Lex nodded back, a little more firmly, and left in search of Detective Tritter.

Cuddy soon shooed a pouting House, and a not-quite sulking Clark, out of her office. A few minutes after Lex had left. House was at a loss at what to do with Clark; now-a-days he never spent any length of time with teenagers who weren't patients.

So, he might as well jump to what he wanted to know. Why'd Lex take this boy with him?

"So, are you Lex's son?" He started random, to keep Clark off balance; even as House guided the boy to the elevator. Big blue eyes blinked at him, and a typically teenage snort came from the boy's nose.

"He'd have had to have been nine, so no, and don't ask me if Lionel is my father; I guarantee they are from entirely differently worlds." The boy smirked, as if he found that amusing. Little did House know, there was good reason for Clark'a amusement – for he told the truth, literally.

"Then who are you?" House asked, tapping the button in the elevator to go to the floor he, and his ducklings, worked on.

"Clark Kent." House hummed, and nodded.

"Cool name, mine is Dr. Greg House, but don't tell Cuddy- I changed it to Gregory to sound more doctor-ish." House thought the boy's smile was cute- and decided to get rid of that train of thought right away.

"So, Lex isn't your father- and given the two different world's thing, Lionel isn't either; so… lovers?" House hadn't thought it possible to change colors (slightly green, pale as ivory, and finally fuchsia-red) or expressions (ill at the thought, panicked or worried? –House wondered at that before setting it aside, and lastly was the embarrassment) so quickly.

Clark had settled on crimson, and House couldn't help but chuckle.

"Pardon?" Clark choked, probably hoping not to have heard House correctly. House couldn't help but love crushing that slim hope…

"Are you, Clark Kent, Lex's lover?" House was amused when Clark sputtered, quickly shaking his head.

A whispered "No" echoed in the otherwise empty elevator.

House smirked, and wondered what would happen if he pushed the boy a bit further…

"Are you sure? He seems to care for you…" Clark's flushed face hadn't changed, and House knew the teen had heard him.

"We're just friends." Clark said finally, clearly determined to see the subject ended. House wondered if it was just his imagination- or had Clark's tone been a bit disappointed?

House shook it off- it was probably the lack of meds 'thinking'…

Clark managed to appear normal-looking when they emerged from the elevator; the staff looked surprised to see that.

Though, Clark was surprised at how quick House had gotten them into the lounge-like room next to his office, especially with a cane. He felt the urge to fidget when three sets of eyes landed on him. The name-tags cued him to their names, and Clark was glad for that edge.

"So what's up with our patient?" House asked, shooing Clark to take a seat next to 'A. Cameron' and 'R. Chase' while looking across at 'E. Foreman'. All three looked baffled ( Clark didn't blame them- he was too), of course- confused, and uncomfortably… curious.

"What is he doing here?" R. Chase demanded, gesturing to Clark. Clark shifted uncomfortably, and A. Cameron smiled at him.

"The patient- is here because of a complaint, do your homework on your own time Chase." House stated dryly, Clark was in awe of the mix of expressions House played at while speaking to Chase.

Most of all, Clark was impressed because Chase seemed abashed! – Yet, he hadn't really done anything…

"Not the patient House- the k-i-d!" Foremen growled, eyeing Clark as if he was going to charge at one of them like any second…

"Oh… Cuddy is making me baby-sit him…shhh, he's supposed to be napping soon." House muttered, turning back to the white-board, Clark's cheeks flushed crimson at the doctors odd looks at him.

"He can't be here- what about Doctor-Patient Confidentially?" Foremen demanded, ignoring House's earlier explanations.

"Kid, have you been to law school?" House asked and Clark shook his head in a negative.

"Turned 18 yet?" Amused, Clark shook his head again. House looked pointedly at his team.

"Problem solved! Now, back to the case!" House demanded, his colleges glanced among each other, and seemed to come to an agreement.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

For Clark, the next five minutes of doctor-dialog went by so fast, Clark couldn't tell what was said, and so he couldn't understand why Foremen had been so worried.

The three doctors left; supposedly to do the errands House had ordered them to do.

House and Clark went to House's office, to wait for Lex to finish with Detective Tritter. House had a particularly gleeful look, though that might have been because he'd won at a computer game against Clark.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Lex Luther sat in a plush, if cheap, office chair – icy blue eyes on the man in front of him.

Behind his desk, Detective Tritter resisted the urge to squirm.

As he showed no signs of addressing Lex (which won him no points with Lex) decided, rather abruptly, to get to the point of the matter.

"Tell me, Detective, how long do you plan to continue this?" Lex's tone was low, soft, and anyone who knew him well could have told you he was very pissed off.

"Mr. Luther, the man, Dr. House, is a danger to others – and himself." Tritter told him, self-importantly, sucking, somewhat nervously Lex thought, on a candy.

"Why do you think that, Detective?" Lex asked, letting Tritter have an opening to defend himself, and his beliefs – the man did so, so readily, that Lex knew he'd have little trouble maneuvering the man – or removing him.

"He clearly has a drug problem, and because of his insistent need for his pills – he is a danger to his patients." Lex shifted, taping his fingers along the arm of the chair.

"Is that so?" Lex mused softly, his tone unidentifiable. Tritter continued to prattle on about his first encounter with Dr. House, ending with a "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Luther?" Tritter had asked, hoping to lure Lex to his side.

Lex was stonily silent resisted the urge to sneer. Clark would have warned Tritter – would have told him not to continue, not to force the issue, but that was just the kind of man Clark was. Lex had no qualms with putting this man in his place.

"Tell me, Detective Tritter, how much do you make?" Lex asked, absently, as if this really didn't matter. Tritter, puzzled, rattled off a number that was far too high for a Detective.

"Excuse me." Lex said as his cell phone rung, Tritter looked faintly annoyed, but waved for him to answer it. Lex was amused at the thought that he had a choice in what Lex did or did not do.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O