Another chapter!

Anon. Reviews:

Melody Jane: Bless you, my solo reviewer. You have no idea how much I appreciate it! And you have good points about Peyton's situation... There are a lot of things out of her control at the moment! :P

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Lex's proof was a decent sized file containing various medical tests performed on the other Peyton's body, including cranial scans and some different sorts of electrical readings. There were phrases like "unresponsive frontal lobe" and "alarming lack of reaction time".

It still left her with a cold, bitter feeling. Doctor's notes and charts and...and a photograph were hard to refute. There was a picture of the other Peyton. She was sitting on an exam chair and staring somewhere passed the camera. It was eerie. There was something off about her expression. An emptiness of sorts that almost had her skin crawling.
Peyton couldn't actually read too much of it because she started getting a migraine if she tried to focus too much. Lex assured her that he'd let her look at it more thoroughly when she felt better, if she stayed that long.

Peyton highly doubted she'd be in this universe long enough to heal, not taking sleeping aides and all, and set about trying to think of a way to bring it back with her.

"Do you think you could make me copies? Maybe I could take it back with me."

Lex set the file up on a small table and chuffed.

"Take it back?"
Peyton nodded. She felt along her neck at the chain still there. The locket had followed her back and she'd only taken it off so far to shower.

"I was able to somehow bring this back with me," she said and gestured to the locket. "And-" she paused. "Do you remember when you first came back after your accident, and I cut myself with that letter opener? That cut-" she looked down at her hand; there was still a faint line left on her skin from that act, "that cut was in the same place on my hand when I woke up that morning."

Lex eyed her hand and then shifted his gaze over to the locket.

"Why would there be a cut on your hand if you have two separate bodies," he asked. "That doesn't make sense if this isn't your body too."
Oh. Peyton felt suddenly overwhelmed and it was probably the concussion doing it, but she took a couple deep breaths and tried to not panic.

"I don't know," she said breathlessly. "I don't know."

She'd never thought about it before now. But she shouldn't have had a cut on her own hand. She'd only cut this Peyton's hand. They were two different people. Possibly they were different versions of each other, but they were still separate.

Lex sighed and stepped forward.

"Hey-"

A buzz from an intercom interrupted him and both their heads turned towards the sound.

"Our stuff?" she asked.

Lex walked over and hit the speaker button.

"Yes?"
It was a woman, some fencing instructor, and Lex let her in with a flustered acknowledgement.

"I arranged for her to come before I knew," he started to explain. Peyton laughed lightly.

"How could you possibly have known any of this would happen? Feel free to do whatever you want, I'm ti- I mean, I should just rest anyway."

At his sharp, stern look Peyton grinned sheepishly.

"I'll stay awake," she promised. "I'll just stare at the wall or something. That's about all I'm good for right now."

Lex rubbed the back of his neck as if mentally debating listening to her and Peyton sobered her expression.

"Go on, Lex," she said. "I'll stay here. You can check up on me and make sure I'm keeping my promise if you feel like you have to."

The tension eased somewhat in his shoulders and he smiled thinly.

"I'll be doing that then," he said.

Peyton shooed him away then, telling him not to keep the lady waiting, and relaxed back further into the couch.

She'd promised that she would stay awake, not that she wouldn't make herself comfortable.

If Peyton had harbored any secret plans of dozing while Lex was distracted, they would have been in vain. The loud clashing of metal rapiers going from room to room was enough to wake a bear out of hibernation. And more often than not she swore Lex led their fight through the room she was in just to ensure she couldn't nap even for a few minutes. It wasn't doing anything for the remaining throbbing in her head, but it wasn't as if they could hear her complain over their sparring.

"Rich people and their fancy hobbies," she complained under her breath. And she knew that wasn't a fair complaint because there were high-schoolers out there who engaged in the same activity, but darn it if she wasn't going to whine about anything she could while no one could hear her.

That was probably still the concussion.

Though with any luck she wouldn't have to deal with the head injury long. With no cough syrups or snuck in sleep aides in her system, she fully expected to wake back in her body no later than the next morning. And if she were really lucky then she'd wake up only a few minutes from when she left and maybe be able to salvage her dignity up off the floor before her boss made his desk rounds.

Lex and the instructor woman had been sparring for a while and Peyton was actually getting a chance to nod off a bit when she suddenly heard a voice calling out from the hall.

"Hello. Hello?"

Peyton frowned at hearing the voice, but pushed herself up onto her feet. She stayed in the doorway, unsure who had gotten in, she was sure, without Lex's permission.

"Clark?"

"Oh." He straightened at seeing her and gave a small wave. Peyton tilted her head to the side as she eyed the teen. "Hello."

"Hi," Peyton drawled. "Whatcha doin'? And how did you get in here?"

The boy's eyes widened as he nervously gestured towards the door.

"Oh, um, I buzzed but no one answered. I, uh, is Lex here?"
Peyton jabbed her thumb down the hall.

"Go for it. Just follow the sounds of clashing metal."

"Uh, sure. Thanks."

Clark passed her to head towards the sound of fighting and Peyton went back into the room she was starting to consider hers. She dropped back down onto the couch and since the noise of the rapiers had stopped she sighed and draped an arm gently over her eyes.

Just a few seconds. She'd just rest her eyes for a minute.

[]

"Hey!" Peyton woke with a yelp as someone gently shook her shoulder. "No sleeping yet. You promised. Come on, get up."

Peyton groaned as Lex pulled her up until she was in a sitting position. She blinked blearily and caught the downward pull of Lex's lips as he made sure she wasn't going to fall back asleep. He was half wearing the fencing suit from before, which let her know that she hadn't been asleep for too long. She sighed and threw out her hands to her sides and wiggled her fingers.

"I'm alive!" she trilled.

Lex's expression flattened and she grinned up at him. There was a cough from the back of the room and her gaze slid around Lex to land on Clark. The teen looked torn between amusement and awkwardness and Peyton was reminded of Jacen when she questioned him about crushes. Her smile softened.

"Hey Clark. Glad you found him ok."

He shrugged a shoulder.

"It wasn't that hard. Anyway, I, uh, better go. Thanks again, Lex. And I'm sorry."

Lex waved him off and said he'd see him later, but she could still see the stiffness of the movements and the brief tightness around his eyes. Peyton stood and stretched her arms, shook out her legs, and tried to get the blood moving enough to wake her back up.

"Sorry?" she questioned.

The smile he flashed was cynical and resigned.

"Nothing. I just should've sent over the truck with a gift receipt."

Her mind worked quickly to try and make sense of the explanation and her face fell when she finally assumed that Lex had tried to send over a thank you gift, only to get it rejected. Peyton walked over to him and hesitatingly put a gentle hand on his forearm.

"Hey, don't take it too personally ok? That was a really nice gesture."

He stare was lingering on her hand and she quickly dropped it with a sheepish half smile.

"It's not a big deal," he finally said. "I'm used to people judging me based off my father."

There was a pang in her chest at that confession. Although she was still cautious of him to a certain degree, and she knew better than to just buy into whatever he said, she'd seen enough of his father to believe that statement to be true.

"I've only met your dad a couple of times," she said, "and even I can tell you're not like him. I doubt he would have sent over a new truck to thank a couple small town locals."

His face lightened in amusement and she felt more at ease.

"Thanks," he said with a light laugh. "I appreciate your confidence, but how do you think you can know for sure?"
"Lex." Peyton put a hand on her hip and tilted her head down. "I've known you since you were this tall." She held her hand, palm down, at the level of her knee. "I think I have a good idea."

"Oh please don't talk like that." Lex's voice held an indignant whine. "You sound like a visiting aunt or something."

Peyton got a good cackle out of that.

A few necessities were delivered later that evening and rooms were set up for the both of them. By the time everything had been situated Peyton was more than exhausted and desperate for sleep. Eventually, after pointing out the late time and the fact that she'd been awake for more than a few hours, she was given the green light to go to bed.

When she was alone in her room Peyton shucked off the sweatpants and collapsed on another large, four poster bed.

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Peyton stretched languidly and yawned widely as she woke. There was a sharp pain in her head as she rubbed at her hair.

"Ow!"

On hand stayed on her head as she blinked and looked around the room.

"Oh no." She let out a small gasp. "Not again."

Stumbling out of bed, she grabbed the borrowed sweats and pulled them back on before leaving the guest room and heading out into the hall.

"Lex? Lex!"

The mansion was cool and quiet with the early morning.

Peyton should probably have been more surprised, but she somehow wasn't. Worried, sure. Confused, definitely. But not quite surprised. She made her way down an open staircase and back down to the first floor. If it were possible, her body felt even more sore than the previous day, and her neck was stiff as if she slept with her head at an odd angle. It made her more aware of climbing down the stairs than she normally would have been.

As she got back down to level ground she padded around, idly braiding her messy hair that had dried at odd angles when she slept on it while damp. There was a clattering sound in the distance and Peyton followed it until she reached a doorway that opened into a kitchen.

"Lex?"

He was moving about the kitchen while digging through a few cupboards in a pair of lounge pants and a basic t-shirt. Peyton tugged at the loaned sweater and adjusted the sleeves. Lex turned around and quickly assessed her, his gaze sharpening as he noted her focused attention.

"You're still here."

She nodded and bit her lip, despite the fact that he'd made a statement more than asked a question.

"Yeah. I, um, I'm kinda, like, freaking out on the inside to be honest." She rubbed at her arm nervously and let her eyes flit about the room. "I should've been back by now. There's nothing in my system, I know there isn't don't worry, so I-I should be back."

He put down the pan he'd scavenged and turned towards her fully. She stood stiffly in the doorway as he made his way over to her. It didn't look like he felt exactly sorry, but he at least looked a bit sympathetic.

"Just breathe a second ok?" He bent at the knees slightly to look her in the eyes and slowly rested his hands on either shoulder. "First of all you're still alive and you're here. I can help you. Secondly, you said time moves differently where you came from, right? No matter how long you stay here, it won't have been as long there."

Peyton took a deep breath and gave him a shaky smile.

"I know," she said. "You're right. I just- why is this happening to me?" Her laugh was a bit rueful as she brought a hand around his arm to rub at her eye. "I even looked at a few of those conspiracy theory sites. Nothing. The closest I could find were peoples out-of-body experiences, but that's not even close to this."

He kneaded her shoulders lightly once to get her attention back and made sure to cement eye contact.

"We'll figure this out and get you stable," he said. "I have those doctors on call who already have some basic research done. I'll get them back over to look at you again now that you're here. Ok?"

Peyton nodded and smiled thinly.

"Thank you, Lex. I really appreciate it."

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," she insisted. "You have no idea…. No one back home knows what's really going on. I haven't told them. They'd think I was crazy. To have at least one person who knows the whole story, well, you have no idea how much of a relief that is."

Lex's smile grew and he let go of her shoulders to lead her further into the kitchen.

"Come on," he said. "I was just about to start breakfast."

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Trucks started showing up later in the afternoon and people were fluttering around the mansion setting up furniture and cleaning out crevices where dust had piled up. Peyton endeavored to stay out of the way as best she could.

Some of the items that they were bringing in perplexed her, as they were decidedly more feminine than the deep, masculine décor that the rest of the building sported. It caused her to realize that she'd never stopped to ask why she had been with Lex in the first place when she came to. Did they live together? What was Lex doing with the other Peyton if he didn't seem especially fond of her?

Peyton tucked those questions away to ask later when everything had calmed down and the movers had left.

Instead she tried to help move a few of the lighter looking boxes, to which she was either ignored completely or given an aghast look by those who must have recognized who she was supposed to be.

Lex eventually noticed when they ran into each other in the hall once and he immediately

set about scolding her for doing manual labor while still suffering a concussion.

She wished she could settle on a couch and play on her phone at least, but they still hadn't quite reached that technological level with phones yet. Or at least it was less than convenient and user friendly.

After awhile she realized Lex had probably been right to scold her because she was starting to get a headache. She found a quiet corner to curl up in where she could see people move out in the hall from the open doorway, but remained out from underfoot. It really was impressive how quickly these people moved.

In a few short hours they'd made the mansion look lived in, even going so far as to add a few fancy knickknacks on some shelves or mantle pieces. Despite her simple nature, Peyton couldn't deny that the wooden furniture and authentic looking finishes were beautiful. And even the dark atmosphere that the décor created reminded her of strength and security. With a few extra touches it could even possibly be considered warm.

But of course that wasn't for her to really think about. She wasn't planning on sticking around. And if Lex actually could help her get settled and stable, then she wouldn't be around finery like this probably for the rest of her life.

The only consideration she made was that she did greatly enjoy the large four poster bed. But that was probably just due to the mattress more than anything.

When the mansion had gone quiet and there was no longer a steady stream of footsteps going back and forth, Peyton ventured back out into the rest of the home. Out of the few rooms she now knew the location of, she was heading for the kitchen and hoping there was a cupboard somewhere with vitamins and medication like she had at home. Her head was demanding some ibuprofen and she wasn't one to deny herself that.

The kitchen was a decent size. It sported the latest in shining chrome appliances while also sticking with the authenticity of the castle style and it somehow worked. Peyton entertained the idea that it represented something deep; like embracing the future while honoring old fashioned traditions. But most likely people of this sort of wealth were just able to afford to have the best of both worlds. She found herself not harboring as much resentment as she might've before. Anyone willing to offer a new vehicle, and she was guessing it was a nice one by the tone of Clark's "sorry", obviously had enough generosity to share their wealth instead of hoarding it.

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"What are you doing?"
Peyton yelped. She jumped in surprise and knocked her head against a cupboard shelf as she tried to twist around. Lex looked up at her and she rubbed the doubly sore spot on her head as she peered down at him. She was standing on top a section of kitchen counter in order to search the taller cabinets. Lex tilted his head as he waited for her to stop grimacing at him.

"Could you put a bell on," she griped. "And I'm looking for painkillers."

He arched a brow.

"In the kitchen."

"Well, where else would you put them?"

"In the bathroom? In the medicine cabinet?"

Peyton sighed and shut the cabinet door.

"Ok, Bill Gates, not all of us commoners have fancy secret-door mirrors."

"You shouldn't be climbing around with your concussion anyway. Come on, I'll help you down."

He held his arms out and she rested her hands on his biceps. In one swift motion he gripped her around the waist and hoisted her down onto the tile floor. She felt that thrill in her stomach from dropping from a height and sucked in a sharp breath. Blinking, she looked up at Lex as he made sure she was steady on her feet.

Peyton's gaze got stuck on his face. Even without hair he was striking. Or maybe because of it. The way his eyes would shift in the light. The way his lips would tilt up.

Oh no, Peyton thought, he's hot.

Lex caught her eyes.

"You ok?"

She pressed her lips together in a smile and nodded.

"Yup! Right! Painkillers. I'll just go get-."

"Actually, do you think you could hold off a bit longer?" Lex stopped her, tightening his hold that he hadn't let go of on her waist. "I've arranged for one of the doctors to make a house call to look at you. Is that ok?"

Gosh his hands were warm.

"Oh, um, that sounds fine." His hands were still on her waist and she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave them there or pry them away. "Do you really think they'll be able to help?"

Peyton wasn't sure what to make of the expression that crossed his face. The best she could come up with was sternness with a positive glint.

"If this one isn't able to, we'll keep working until we find one that does."

She stepped back out of his hold and scratched the back of her leg with her foot.

"That's if I stick around that long," she reminded him. "It seems like this whole," she waved her hand in a helpless gesture, "transferring thing is glitchy at best. Oh, ugh. I just made myself sound like a computer program."

Lex flexed his fingers as he pulled his arms back to his side, but grinned at her nonetheless.

"You're certainly not a computer program," he reassured. "And with any luck you'll stay long enough for the doctor to help. Don't worry; we'll find a way to get you settled."

She gave him a tired smile in return and sighed.

"Well, if it'll really make a difference I guess I can hold off on the Advil."

"Great. He should be here soon. I have to check on the plant tonight and he needs to be finished up before then."

Peyton swung her fist in front of her in mock enthusiasm.

"Sounds like a blast. Wait." She paused, brow furrowing, as she actually stopped to think. "What does she do? Or I do? A job, I mean," she clarified. "Where do I work?"

Lex slipped one hand in his pocket and started to lead her from the kitchen with the other.

"You don't work," he said simply. Peyton's face fell.

"I've been wondering actually, and I have to ask. Does she- do you, um, are we living together or something? What is," she searched for a sufficient word, "this?" Lex breathed out of his nose heavily.

"Because of the position your body was in, and because I was the only one aware of your true situation, I thought it...best to keep you close. I didn't feel comfortable leaving you around people when your body was so susceptible to suggestion. You could be taken advantage of."

Her face blanched at that revelation. Her stomach twisted.

"Nothing-nothing ever happened?"

His gaze didn't waver.

"Nothing."

Peyton let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Some of the tension drained out of her shoulders, and it had her leaning a bit more against Lex as they walked.

"All these years I've been mooching off you then? Or at least, whatever this other Peyton is has? Lex, you don't have to responsible for this body, or her, or me. You must have a lot to worry about without all that."

He looked down at her then, his gaze piercing and expression sure. Peyton felt her stomach flutter.

"How could I not?" he asked. "We're friends, right? Friends help each other."

Her fingers ghosted over the locket still around her neck and her lips quirked up.

"You're right," she said. "But if, for some reason, I'm not able to get home right away I want to do something. I don't feel comfortable taking advantage of your hospitality, no matter how grateful I am."

Lex actually chuckled in disbelief.

"You'd be one of the first."

Peyton rolled her eyes lazily; her head still hurt.

"Don't be so dramatic."

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The doctor arrived shortly. He was middle-aged, slim, and almost fidgety as he prepared to look her over. It made her nervous. They were having the exam done in the newly set up office room. She remembered it from the large fireplace and stained glass window. The doctor sat down his equipment on the coffee table as she perched on the edge of an adjacent sofa and waited.

Peyton pulled ar attention away from admiring the room to face the doctor. Some of the equipment that he was pulling out his case she recognized. They were basic things. A blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, a small light probably for testing pupil dilation, and hammer for testing reflexes. But a couple things were a bit more high tech. There was a chunky, laptop sized device that looked like it hooked to some sensory reading pads that she hadn't seen before.

She wanted to ask about them getting her home and keeping her there, but she wasn't sure how much the doctor actually knew. Instead she smiled politely and held out her arm when the doctor gestured with the pressure cuff.

"So, doctor, what's your professional opinion on what's happening to me?"

The doctor snapped his gaze up as if in shock. He blinked. Peyton waited. Lex shifted from behind the doctor and Peyton looked up at him, giving him a confused, apologetic look.

"Dr. Cornwell has treated you several times before," he said. "I think you've just surprised him."

His voice seemed to shake the doctor out of his shock, and the man shook his head.

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish grimace. "I'm afraid Mr. Luthor is right. It is… good to see you better health."

"No worries." Peyton smiled reassuringly. "I just hope that you'll be able to provide some answers."

She cooperated with all the tests as the doctor performed them. Mostly they didn't require any real effort from her, but she still liked to be an easy patient.

When he got to the odd computer hooked to sensory pads Peyton grew a tad bit more interested. She hadn't had any tests with that sort of machine at the actual hospital when she'd gone, but maybe it was a sort of mini MRI machine? Or something that functioned similarly?

The pads he attached to her temples and Peyton laughed awkwardly.

"Kinda feel like I'm about to be part of some sci-fi movie."

A flicker of amusement flashed across the doctor's face before he reverted back into his professional demeanor.

"While it is state of the art, you have nothing to worry about," he said. Peyton settled as he explained the machine's function more. "This machine should give us the most telling results. It reads electrical impulses of the brain and can tell me which parts are functioning correctly. The last time it was a bit, well, inactive. But I have a feeling it will be wildly different with today's findings. Truthfully, I'm curious."

Peyton certainly hoped it'd be a bit more active than "should be brain dead". Lex gave her a nod, watching the doctor closely himself, and she waited as the man switched on the device.

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Oh man! What might they discover? Any theories so far? Do you like Peyton and Lex's interactions? Something you think I could do better/improve on? Feel free to let me know anything!