Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to their rightful owners. NoLillian and Lex's dialogue's from " Shattered " and belongs to Gough and Millar. Infringement's intended.
Spoilers: Zero.
CHAPTER 2: The Parting
Coming to terms with his new appearance and keeping his composure in front of his father proved very difficult for Lex. However, the younger Luthor's misfortune was merely the first in a string of tragic events that would befall the family the following years.
Autumn came and the barren landscape seemed to echo the desolation that was afflicting the Luthors. Lilly's pregnancy was a trying period for her mental health. As much as she loved the new life that was growing inside of her, she couldn't stand the idea of submitting another child to Lionel's unrelenting demands and his twisted conception of paternal love. Lillian felt weak and if she kept a shred of sanity during her pregnancy was to fight for Alexander in her attempt to save his soul or, at least, salvage what was left of it.
Lillian's final breakdown occurred around October and was sped up by Lionel's decision to send Lex away. Picturing the timid and fragile boy alone at boarding-school, far from her and his only friend in the world, Mandy, was something she found hard to handle. So acute was her depression that she refused to carry or even come near her new-born son Julian. How could she possible allow herself to form a deep attachment with a baby she knew she'd have to sacrifice in order to save ? She couldn't bear the thought of her children tearing themselves apart, competing for the love and attention of their father. And so it was,with this dreadful image in her mind, that she made a tragic decision that would seal the destiny of the family and doom Lex's relationship with Lionel for ever.
At home from Excelsior Academy, Lex found Lillian completely changed, and it hurt him so much to see her deteriorate in front of his eyes that he would hide with Amanda in the stables and seek refuge with the Rothmans. James, Maddy and Amanda provided him with a haven away from the shouting and the bitter arguments. Lionel had brought him back with promises he now knew would never be fulfilled; he would never have a happy family like Mandy's. He could feel the end approaching in his bones and one morning everything went awry.
It was seven o'clock in the evening and Lex had already had dinner alone in the kitchen for Lionel was, as usual, too tied up in an meeting to share a meal with his son. In an attempt to brighten up Lillian, Lex asked the cook to prepare a tray with food for her. He was on the way to the master bedroom when he noticed Julian's loud crying had stopped all of a sudden. He retraced his steps and went into the nursery to find Lillian standing next to the cradle with a pillow in her hands. " Mum ? Mum ? " " Ssh. Don't wake the baby. He's sleeping." He looked at the cradle where Julian lay motionless and, turning back to his mother in shock, whispered: " No. No.What about Dad? " " Ssh. Dad has nothing to worry about, sweetheart. Julian's happy now," said Lillian, kissing Lex on the forehead on her way out. And so it was, at that precise moment, that Lex realised - with a wisdom beyond his years- he'd have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Lillian from his father's wrath, take full blame for his brother's death and damn himself for ever in Lionel's eyes. The young boy's decision cost him a lot more than his father's love. He was vanished from the manor and sent straight back to boarding-school from which he would return only to attend his mother's funeral.
The misery of living away from his mum and the Rothmans was only mitigated by the weekly letter he would receive from Amanda in her childish handwriting. How he missed sitting in the Rothmans' kitchen, watching Maddy bake while he played Monopoly with James and Mandy, dreaming of having some day a family like theirs ! Unfortunately, Lillian's death affected the Rothmans in more ways than they had expected. Lionel turned up at their doorstep one day to inform them he was selling the property and, with it, the horseflesh in the stables.
" This is not what Lillian would have wanted ! " explained James. " She loved those horses and Lex..."
" Lex ? Lex'll have to learn that sentimentality's a weakness he can't afford in our world. My son and heir is destined for greater things. His future lies beyond this farm..., " exclaimed Lionel.
" His future ? Why don't you think about his present for once ?. He needs you... and you're turning his back on him... " interrupted Maddy.
"How dare you ! How dare you judge me by something you don't have the slightless inkling of ! He's my son and it's me who's going to decide what's best for him, " exploded Lionel.
" You're so self-centred, Lionel. You're destroying any possibility he might have of ever being happy. If only Lillian were here to see what you're doing to him ! Perhaps, she'd have finally had the courage to leave you once and for all," shouted Maddy.
" I won't won't dignify that with an answer out of respect for Lillian's memory and the affection she had for your family, " responded Lionel. " But listen to me, and listen to me very carefully, " he said threatenly, " if you ever set foot in one of my properties again or try to contact Lex and turn him against me, I won't answer for the consequences. "
" Are you threatening us, Mr Luthor ? What about Mandy ? What about our daughter ? What are we supposed to tell her ? Have you got any instructions about that as well ? " James queried.
" I'll leave that to you. After all, you're intelligent people, aren't you ? " snapped Lionel. And with that he shut the door on the Rothmans.
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