CHAPTER 2: THE PROMISE

SMALLVILLE – CHRISTMAS EVE

It was Christmas Eve. Lana and Chloe were back from university for the Christmas season and they were enjoying the best Christmas Eve dinner Lana could remember. Gabe had always been an accomplished cook but this time he had outdone himself. There was so much food that Lana doubted they would be able to finish it before New Year unless they invited several of the neighbours over. She was eating with relish her second serving of turkey with cranberry sauce when her mobile phone rang. She looked at her watch. It was exactly midnight.

" Hello? Lex? Merry Christmas! " she answered with a catch in her voice. The call had taken her by surprise – not that he had ever forgotten to wish her all the best for her birthday or any important anniversary, but he had always been elusive at Christmas time.

Nobody answered on the other side.

Lana. He could still remember the first time he had set eyes on her, that is, the first time he had set eyes on her as an adult. He recalled the exact place and moment she told him they had met before. It was in the stables- the day after Clark had been tied to a pole in his undies in the middle of a cornfield. Lex had purposely sought her out to ask her if she knew Whitney's whereabouts the night before.

" You must be Lana. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. "

" We've already met. "

" I seriously doubt I'd forget meeting you. "

" You were a little preoccupied at the time. "

"I get the feeling I didn't make a great first impression. "

" When I was ten, I went to Metropolis for a riding competition,. Your father invited us to stay over.My aunt said you had an indoor pool. When I went to check it out, I found you and a girl skinnydipping. I think you were teaching her the breast stroke. "

He remembered having to resort to everything he had learned from his years living with Lionel to cover up his emotions behind a seemingly nonchalant smile. He couldn't let anyone see, least of all this beautiful girl, that he could still blush like a teenager or else, who would buy the cold and serious businessman image he wanted to project?

" Lex? Are you there? Is everything all right? " she asked with concern.

He didn't answer but she could hear his breathing.

" Lex? Lex, is that you? You're freaking me out, Lex. "

He seemed to find his voice and, speaking so low that Lana could barely make out what he was saying, whispered: "She's... she's dead, Lana." He started to sob and added: "I ... I couldn't ...save her and now ... I'm... alone. She's left... me. "

Lana was speechless. Who was ´she´ ? Was he in a drunken stupor remembering that childhood Christmas when his mother died? Was it Lillian he was talking about?

"Lex, calm down. Who's she? Who's dead, Lex? "

He got hold of himself and wiping the tears with the back of his hand, he said: "Sorry, Lana. I shouldn't have called you. Everything's OK. I'll be fine. Go back to your dinner. Send my best to Chloe and Gabe. Bye, Lana. "

" No, Lex. Don't hang up. Lex? Lex? "

The line was dead. Lana turned around, looked at Chloe and Gabe and, with an apologetic look on her face, told them that a friend was in need. Lex had always been there for her and she couldn't fail him the one time he needed someone to lean on. "Absolutely, " responded Gabe. " But, Lana, it's snowing heavily. I don't want to meddle and sound like an overbearing parent. I don't want you outside all by yourself, worrying if your car has skidded and you've ended up in a ditch. Let us drive you. "

"OK, Mr. Sullivan. I'd appreciate it. Let me pick up my trench coat and gloves. "

It took them fifteen minutes to arrive at the gate of the Luthor Mansion. Lana had urged Gabe inwardly to step on the gas but she knew that being reckless in the snow would only make matters worse.

The guard left his shelter and approached the left window. Gabe wound it down and let him look inside.

"Hello, Sam. Merry Christmas. Mr. Luthor's expecting me. "

"Hello, Miss Lang. Come in, please. "

Gabe changed gear and the car rolled along the driveway that led to the front door of the mansion.

"Lana, will you be fine? Would you like Chloe to go with you? "

"It's all right, Mr. Sullivan. Don't worry about my coming back home safe and sound. Lex, we'll see to it, I'm sure. If I need for you to come and pick me up, I'll give you a ring. Sorry again for the dinner. I can't thank you enough. It's been the best Christmas ever. "

Gabe turned the car round. Lana looked at the tail lights dim away and climbed up the steps that would carry her to the imposing wooden door. She knocked and it opened.

"Miss Lang, Merry Christmas. Mr. Luthor's in his study. "

"Thanks, Steve. Go back to your celebration and give my regards to the staff. I can find the way myself. "

"Goodnight, Miss Lang, and thanks for coming. I know he'll appreciate it. You'll do him good, you always do. I wish I could do something for him myself. "

Steve's concern and what he had said to her didn't surprise her at all. She knew what his home staff felt for him. They were, perhaps, the only employees who didn't judge him because of his surname. They recognised in him a fair and caring boss, one who would always look after them and to whom they could turn at any time.

Lana rushed to the study. Twenty minutes had passed since he hanged up on her and she didn't know in what state she would find him. She pushed the door open and let herself in.

It took Lana a minute to adjust her eyes to the darkness and make out Lex's fragile figure sitting in an armchair next to the fireplace. She could see he had been drinking for there was an empty tumbler and a similarly empty decanter on a side table by him. She came up to him and placed a hand on his left arm. She felt him recoil and then relax. He turned his eyes to the flames and, placing his right hand on top of hers, gave her a squeeze. She lowered herself down on the sofa across from his seat and gave him time to collect his thoughts.

Lex stood up, crossed the room, took a blue bottle of spring water, opened it and took a huge gulp before sitting next to her on the sofa. Not a word had passed between them yet but she could feel he was hurting and she didn't know what to say. There had never been anyone in her life, not even Clark, to whom she had felt so much attuned. She perceived him like a kindred spirit, someone who had suffered as much as her, or maybe, more. At least, there had been Nell in her life, while he had had no one as far as she knew. She found it hard to envision Lionel as a loving parent .

"She passed away this afternoon. Her name is... was ... Lorna. I wish you had met her, Lana. You would have liked her, and she would have liked you. She was an extraordinary woman. She was the grandmother I never had. "

And so he started. He told her about his miserable and lonely years in boarding-school, having no friends, losing his mum and having someone with no secret agenda actually caring for him. He smiled and his face beamed when he recalled all those times Lorna had sneaked up from the kitchen carrying food to brighten him up.

Lana felt privileged that he confided in her this much. Many of the things he knew about him she had heard from Clark and the rest of the information she got from him wasn't given voluntarily but at moments of weakness. She remembered one particular occasion when she thought he was losing his mind. Clark had found him rocking a rolled blanket thinking it was his baby brother Julian, and Clark and she had hidden him in the stables where she kept her horse. She was aware that Lex wasn't sure how much of him he had revealed to her but she was convinced he must have a pretty good idea because their relationship changed somehow after that, it deepened. Although he had scared her stiff, she was touched to learn there was a whole other side to him she could identify herself with, his wounded self.

Lana looked at Lex's profile and noticed his eyes glistened. She followed his gaze down to the coffee table and saw an old copy of ´Warrior Angel´ lying there. She stretched out her hand and picked it up.

"That was a gift of hers. I've always kept it in the top drawer of my desk so that I could look at it from time to time and remember there was someone out there who still cared for me. And now she's gone. She was right. My mother was right. Some things money can't buy or secure. No matter all the means at my disposal, I couldn't stop Lorna from dying. I brought to Metropolis the best doctors from the remotest corners of the world but nothing could be done. I know there are things that we can't help but, Lana, it sure hurts like hell."

"Lex, you've been the best friend someone could hope for all these years. You've been constantly there for me, for Clark, the Kents, the Sullivans and countless others. You're a good man. I'm sure she loved you for all the things you've done for her and that she was proud of the man you've become. She's dead, yes, but you're not alone. You've got friends who care about you. I care about you. "

Lex faced her, his eyes brimming with tears and Lana could do nothing else but wrap him in her arms.

Lavender. She smelled of lavender. Lex was at home at last and he let the tears flow down in a torrent for the second time in his life. His crying was heart-wrenching and Lana tightened her embrace in an attempt to ease the pain. She had never seen a man dissolve in tears in front of her, least of all Lex. He was the one she constantly turned to when she didn't know what to do. He always had the answers. He was so confident, so bloody sure of himself. She wasn't afraid to recognise that she had been in awe of him before she got to know him better. Therefore, for all his suffering, she was glad he allowed her to see this side of him. It showed that he was human and not unapproachable.

Once his sobbing had ebbed away, Lex stretched out on the sofa and placed his head on Lana's lap.

The tears were now falling silently and Lana caressed his face and wiped his tears with her own hands. Then, she lowered her head and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. Lex took her left hand and, after planting a soft kiss on it, let it rest on his heart. She could feel the steady beating and realised he was falling asleep. It was at this moment that she accepted the truth, the truth she had tried to deny for several years and, particularly of late; she loved him.

It was Christmas morning and the sun rays entered the study through the tinted glass. Lana woke up and felt Lex stir. His eyelids fluttered open and his eyes focused on her face. He lay there, with his heart completely open, vulnerable, ready for her to crush it. She knew then. She could read it in his eyes.

"Promise. Promise me you won't leave me, Lana, " Lex said passionately.

"I do, Lex. I do promise. "