Chapter 47 - Rachel
After several months of having worked on meteor rock projects with Lex, Clark should have learned that even gaining new data didn't mean sudden, immediate progress. Lex took a sample of Ryan's blood, but he advised Clark that it was going to be a few weeks before the sample could be analyzed in a way that would change their understanding of the mutations. In the meantime, the best thing they could do was to continue to seek out other people who might be willing to provide additional data in the form of samples.
It was easier said than done. It would have been pretty easy if the folks at Belle Reve had been more willing to allow Clark and to talk to some of their patients. But they didn't want Clark in there, and they definitely didn't want Lex. For better or for worse, their best bet was to just wait for new meteor mutants to emerge. And for better or for worse, Clark seemed to encounter them every other week anyway.
The next week, Lana found herself receiving mysterious messages from a secret admirer, love poems that made Clark want to throw up in his mouth a little bit, and he wasn't even sure how much of that had to do with the fact that they were written for Lana. In the end, though, it was a perfect opportunity. Byron had a very different kind of mutation than they had seen so far: he turned into some kind of monster in the sunlight. Clark had to stay away from him at first, but once things had settled down, they were able to get a sample from him.
The week after that, they encountered a mutant named Krissy who was somehow able steal youth from other people, remaining young herself, even though she turned out to be over a hundred years old. Clark thought it was another perfect opportunity, but then it occurred to him that it wouldn't has been of any use: she couldn't be a meteor mutant. The meteors had only touchdown in 1989, and Krissy had been born nearly a hundred years before that. It frightened Clark to know that it wasn't just the meteors that caused the strangeness and Smallville, but it was also something of a comfort. Not everything was his fault.
While they waited out more samples and more information from the scientists, Clark and Lex dealt with other issues as they came up. Ryan's aunt had changed her phone number since Clark contacted her, and they couldn't get ahold of her again. For some reason, it seems she didn't want to be found. Clark would have felt terrible for Ryan about this, but Ryan didn't seem too torn up about it, or too surprised. Apparently, they had never formed a very close connection. Still, Clark thought Ryan deserved better than that. He knew his parents would have advised calling social services to try to find a foster home for Ryan, but Clark just didn't want to take the chance that he would end up in another home where he wasn't cared for. As of right now, no one was really looking for him, so Clark asked Lex how long he would be willing to house Ryan for. After a dry observation that the mansion had become a safe haven for cancer patients, Lex told Clark that he was willing to house Ryan for as long as he needed a place to stay.
Lex did call in a couple of cancer specialists to take care of Ryan. The doctors said that they had caught Ryan's cancer a lot sooner than they had caught Pamela's, and Ryan would have much less to deal with in the way of complications, provided the cancer didn't come back. Clark was incredibly thankful for that.
It was really nice to have Ryan around. Clark had gotten used to being the younger brother, and it was great to get to be like an older brother to somebody for a change. It was also fun to have another person around to see him use his powers. Lex had always reacted with awe, respect, and curiosity, but his responses to Clark's abilities also seemed somewhat calculated, reserved in a way that fit his need to be the adult. Ryan didn't have any of that. He smiled and laughed, oohed and ahhed, and even asked to see Clark do the same tricks multiple times, just so he could watch, for the fun of it. Lex never would have done that; it would have been weird if he did.
Ryan and Pamela both joined the next family dinner that Lex held at the mansion for Clark and his parents, although once again, Clark's dad made excuses not to show up. Just like the previous time he had done this, Clark couldn't help but feel a little bit relieved, but it was also pretty frustrating. There was once again a tension between his parents that lasted for a few days after the dinner, seemingly to arise more from his mom's positive comments about Lex than from the mere fact that they had all had dinner together.
Lex and Ryan had become like family members to Clark. He didn't talk to Pamela very much, but it was very clear to him that she and his mom were growing close, and so it was frustrating to see his father turn down the opportunity to meet her over and over again. Clark didn't think it could last forever, though. sooner or later, his dad would have to join them, and they would begin the slow painful progress towards building that relationship. Clark just wished he could get it over with.
A couple of weeks after Ryan had come to stay at the mansion, a red-haired woman approached Clark at school.
She actually kind of startled him. He closed his locker, and she was standing there on the other side, staring at him with a big wide grin on her face.
"Hello, Clark."
Clark was pretty sure he had never seen the woman before in his life, so he wasn't sure how she could know his name. "Do we know each other?"
The woman looked down sadly. "No." But then she looked up at him and smiled. "Well, yes."
Clark raised his eyebrows. She was starting to creep him out.
"Clark, I'm your mother."
That was the last thing he had been expecting to hear. "I—I'm sorry. There must be some kind of mistake."
"Oh, I suppose it will take you some time to get used to the idea."
Clark breathed in to speak again, but she cut him off.
"No, no, it's okay. I understand. I haven't been there all of these years. You must be wondering, what right do I have to come back into your life after all this time?"
"No, that's not . . . I mean . . . what did you say your name was?"
"Rachel Dunleavy."
"Mrs. Dunleavy, there's no way I'm your son."
"Your adoption was handled by Metropolis United Charities, right?"
Clarke blinked. "How did you know—"
"I wanted to reach out to you, but I understand if you need some time. I just bought a house in Smallville, so I'll be around whenever you want to talk."
"Look, I don't want to be rude, but . . . I already have a family."
"I'm not trying to take you away from them. I just wanted to meet you and find out what kind of a young man you were. Have you never been curious to meet your birth family?"
This lady had no idea.
The woman reached into her pocket and took out a little slip of paper. "This is my cell phone number. Call me if you want to talk."
Clark accepted the paper numbly. He had no idea what to say.
For the rest of the day, Clark couldn't focus on his classes. He couldn't wait to talk to his parents about what happened and try to make some sense of it. He almost called them in the middle of the school day, but he didn't think his teachers would take it very well if he was caught using his cell phone during the lunch period—most of the students at Smallville High didn't even have cell phones.
He was actually scheduled to spend the afternoon at the mansion that day, so he ended up talking to Lex about the strange encounter first. "She really thought she was my mother," Clark said.
"She probably wanted something with you. If someone ever showed up claiming to be related to me—"
"That's different," Clark said. "They would be trying to get money from you. The only reason anyone would be trying to manipulate me—"
"Is if they knew your secret." Lex nodded slowly. "Do you think she does?"
"I don't know. She seemed to believe what she was saying. And she knew about Metropolis United Charities."
Lex's eyes widened. "That is weird."
"I don't know what to do. I don't want to give her the wrong idea, but . . . she's looking for her son. I wish I could help her."
"Let me handle it."
"Really?
"Yeah. I think I know what to say."
Clark let his breath out. "That's a weight off of me."
Lex nodded. "What are friends for?"
Lex took the cell phone number from Clark for Rachel Dunleavy, but he didn't make the call right away. He assumed her emotions would still be high after having found what she believed was her son the day before, and she wouldn't be ready to accept any new ideas about that right now. Waiting another day would give her some time to settle into her new home, and she might be more willing to listen to reason.
He didn't end up getting to wait. She showed up in his study shortly after Clark left. Clark hadn't given Lex a detailed description of the woman, but Lex found he recognized her right off, just based on the look on her face.
"You must be Mrs. Dunleavy," he said.
She gave him a bright smile. "Hello, Lex. It's been a long time."
"I hear there's been a bit of a misunderstanding between you and my friend."
She shook her head. "No, no misunderstanding. Clark is my son."
"I assure you that he is not."
The woman frowned and took a step closer. "I wasn't going to bring this up unless I had to, but I once worked as a nurse for your mother."
Lex swallowed. "You knew my mother?"
The woman nodded. "And your father. He and I became . . . very close."
Lex felt sick to his stomach. He hung his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"He got me pregnant, and made me give up the child for adoption."
If Lex hadn't known Clark's secret already, he might have been elated at the thought that Clark might be his brother. As it was, he had to hide the shock he felt at the realization that he did have a half-brother out there, assuming this woman was telling the truth. He could get to that later. Right now, he had to set her straight with regards to Clark. "When was your son born?"
Rachel's brow furrowed. "In 1985."
"Clark is 15. He was born in '87. He's not your son."
She began to pace. "But . . . That doesn't make any sense. He was supposed to be the only adoption Metropolis United Charities ever handled."
"Well, apparently not."
"He looks older than fifteen to me. Are you sure—"
Lex thought quickly and came up with the most convincing lie he could: "He was adopted when he was two and a half. He's already met his birth mother."
Rachel went silent. "Oh. Why didn't he tell me?"
"I think you caught him off guard," Lex said.
"Then . . . my son . . ."
"Is still out there." And my brother.
"Your father never allowed me any contact with him. I only found out about Clark after his friend put out some information on the internet."
"That wouldn't happen to be Chloe Sullivan, would it?"
"Yes, that's the one."
Lex couldn't say he was surprised. "I can help you find your son," Lex said. "On one condition. Stay away from Clark. I think you gave his family a scare."
Rachel nodded. "I understand. And thank you."
"Don't mention it," Lex said, and Rachel took her leave.