It's my story. If I want to add wedding planning scenes I will.
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Peyton stared at Lex, her mind spinning at his open shock.
"What do you mean? I was there-"
She was there, wasn't she? It was his twelfth birthday and no one else came. His cake was- well, the party favors were- what gift had she given him?
Her sentence trailed off as the surety of the memory started to crumble with the lack of detail.
"You weren't." Lex said. "You didn't act like you."
"No," Peyton agreed distractedly. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that."
"Hey." He forced eye contact with her, pulling her out of her confused struggle to recollect a memory she shouldn't have. "Don't be sorry; that's something to take note of, right? Do you remember anything else? Is this the first time you've had a memory like this?"
"It's not a memory. It can't be if I wasn't there. I just- I guess I just know it."
"Is this the first time?" He repeated.
"Yes."
A silence lingered as the possible meanings of the development sank in. Had there been another Peyton after all? Did the car crash rattle her mind beyond a concussion? Or could it be some development she had no hope or experience to foresee?
Peyton didn't like any of the options.
Lex looked to the clock on the kitchen's far wall and nodded to himself.
"We'll note the time and date just in case this happens again. That way we have a record. For the doctors."
"Right. No, right, that's a good idea."
"Everything is going to be okay." Lex's voice remained steady and calm, unlike her churning thoughts. "You're not going to have to go through any of this alone."
"Thank you. I'm alright. I'm just… confused. Surprised. But it's fine." Peyton shook her head and gave him a forced smile. "Never a dull moment with me, huh?"
Lex smiled in return, his more genuine.
"And I wouldn't trade it."
[][][]
Two days later Peyton's mom called to warn that she'd be coming down with a wedding coordinator in tow. Peyton somehow managed to sound as unphased as possible when she said she was excited to see her.
"I know I agreed," she said, turning her cell phone over and over in her hands, "but how soon is this lady expecting us to actually walk down the aisle? Isn't it going to look strange if it's a rushed ceremony?"
"The public doesn't know that; and as far as your mom is concerned this is a long time coming. Why? Having second thoughts?"
"No." Peyton frowned stubbornly. "I mean, not any more than I should. At least given the circumstances."
"I'll continue to try not to take that personally."
She huffed and rolled her eyes as she flopped down next to him on the couch.
"Will it be any consolation if I let you have some say in decor?"
"Let me?" Lex responded with a laugh.
Peyton flicked her hair back over her shoulder.
"Everyone knows the wedding is about the bride and, even still, I'm probably barely going to get a say in it myself. I'm trying to be generous."
Lex leaned forward over his knees and continued to smile at her like she were some wielder of great wit, his eyes tracked her movements as she shifted. It made her face feel warm and she pressed her lips together in an attempt not to blurt out anything embarrassing.
"Well, who am I to pass up such generosity." He said with a tilt of his head.
Peyton prayed her face didn't turn pink. She cleared her throat.
"Alright then. Any deal breakers? Or something on your wishlist?"
He hummed.
"The DJ can't play Y.M.C.A."
"Boo; party pooper." Peyton intoned with no real enthusiasm. "Given the sorts of people that are likely to come, The Village People would probably be new to the wedding playlist."
"They're rich, not living under rocks."
Peyton gave him a look that said she highly doubted his claim, and sat back.
"So nothing substantial, then? No preference for flowers or your suit? The usual black on black is fine?"
"Maybe I'd rather match you," he said with cheek. "I'd look good in white."
Peyton gave his comment some thought and tapped her chin.
"A white suit would be different; interesting. I'll make a note."
"I'm forever in your debt."
His dry tone drew another wry smile from her lips and Peyton tapped the eraser of her pencil against the notepad she had for wedding notes. A shudder raced up her spine.
They were going to get married.
She agreed to marry Lex Luthor, the kid fate seemed to have thrown in her path since the not-dreams started, for safety and security.
She was going to marry a man in another universe and she didn't know what she would do if she did something as stupid as fall in love with him.
Because she definitely hadn't, no matter what she told her fake mom.
A commotion sounded from the foyer and Peyton's heart momentarily leapt into her throat before she faintly recognized a female voice. It sounded like her mom.
"I swear this open door house policy is going to kill me someday."
"There's supposed to be a door," Lex remarked. "Don't worry, dear, we can change the locks after the wedding."
Despite his teasing tone, the pet name made Peyton's face heat again. Given his expression, Lex noticed.
The voices grew in clarity and closeness. Heels click-clacked on the wooden floor.
"-Lex's friend? Well, how quaint."
"Are you one of Peyton's family member's too?"
"That's our wedding coordinator, actually."
"Wedding coordinator?"
Two women and Clark stepped through the office doorway and Peyton snapped to attention. Lex looked around her at Clark as he stood.
"Hey, Clark. What brings you here?"
Clark looked between the two of them then back at the women he entered with as if he wasn't sure what to make of the group.
"Uh, one of your employees mentioned you wanted to get set up for deliveries from the farm?"
"Right; one second. Hi, Mrs. Woods. Long time no see; how've you been?"
Lex greeted her mother with an embrace like they were old pals and Peyton wondered how often they'd kept in contact while she wasn't there. Her mother hugged Lex back with all the enthusiasm of a woman finally getting everything she ever wanted.
"Absolutely stunning since I heard the news," she proclaimed. "Alexander, you have no idea how happy I am."
Peyton couldn't help but edge forward.
"I thought that was supposed to be me."
Merrill released Lex and opened her arms to Peyton, her eyes quickly searching Peyton's face. Peyton smiled as warmly as she could and Merrill's face flashed with emotion. Her arms wrapped around Peyton tightly and she squeezed briefly with a subtle sniff, like allergies were suddenly bothering her.
"Oh my darling dear, it's so good to see you happy." Peyton wondered if Merrill was referring to the engagement, or commenting in a similar vein to Lex's statement about her not having much emotion before. "I still can't believe you attempted to hide this from me, really Peyton; but now we can do things the right way."
"A lot of crazy things have been happening lately," Peyton said as a paltry means of explanation.
Merrill let go to cup her hands around Peyton's face and continued to eye her with more emotion than should be warranted.
"Crazy isn't always a bad thing."
"Agreed," cut in Lex.
Poor Clark continued to stand awkwardly to the side, his brow furrowed over the conversation so far. Merrill didn't appear to remember he was there as she continued to talk.
"This is Kathleen Walters, she's the wedding coordinator I've hired and she's absolutely the best of the best, dear. Lex, is there a place we can sit and discuss?"
Peyton cut her eyes toward Clark at her mother's mention of Kathleen's title combined with her congratulations and unfortunately it looked like he was finally putting the pieces together. She made eye contact with Lex and he seemed to register her concern, but it didn't really matter. What was said was said.
"You can make yourselves comfortable here," he said to her mother. "I'm going to discuss deliveries with Clark and be back."
"Yes, of course." Merrill dismissed with a wave. She cut a sly grin at him. "Though I'm sure you'll be fine with whatever Peyton picks; isn't that usually how these things go?"
Peyton maintained eye contact with Lex and mouthed "help me"; Lex smirked and winked as he left.
[][]
Merrill was not playing games as the wedding coordinator helped them look over booklets with examples of colors and place settings and dresses. Her mother insisted that the dresses could just be inspiration, she could call someone to actually make one to Peyton's liking, and Peyton internally set herself against the idea. It felt too extra. Too lavish and dishonest. Especially when this marriage was merely for convenience's sake.
By the time Lex came back it had been decided that the colors would be white and a rich burgundy with gold accents. Kathleen approved with a comment about it being elegant and timeless. Her mother was still trying to push for the venue to be a garden park somewhere in Metropolis, a place Peyton had never heard of or seen. That she had no connection to whatsoever.
Lex came up next to her and she actually reached for his arm. He looked at her hand in surprise at the contact and Peyton didn't let go.
"I need backup," she murmured.
His eyes turned sharp at her plea and he sat next to her on the arm of her chair as he turned his attention to the other two women.
"What's currently on the docket?"
"I'm trying to tell Peyton about this lovely little garden in Metropolis. It's right down from the theater and it's going to look stunning in photographs. Plus it's close by so all our guests won't have to commute far-"
"It's far for us," Peyton argued. It wasn't her real argument and it wasn't enough to deter Merrill.
Lex turned his head down to her.
"You don't want that to be the venue?"
Peyton pressed her hands against her knees and shrugged.
"Smallville has a church," she said. "It's not ugly, and I just thought-"
She trailed off slightly and Lex took the cue.
"We'll have it here," he said in finality. He grinned roguishly at Merrill. "After all, it's the bride's choice, right?"
Merrill looked flustered at the rejection, ready to argue, but then she let out a breath in a sigh and let her shoulders drop.
"Fine. Kathleen?"
"I'll get the address and some photographs before we leave to start planning layouts."
At least Peyton had experiences as herself in Smallville. She knew a couple people. It was more than could be said about Metropolis.
They managed to get a few more details ironed out that afternoon and planned for Peyton to visit her parents in Metropolis to go wedding dress shopping since she refused to have one made, and it wasn't like Smallville was going to have a bridal shop.
Thankfully the planning didn't last into the night. Merrill and the wedding planner had hotel reservations, quaint ones apparently, and they decided to run out to check on the location of the church before taking a break from planning for the rest of the day. According to Merrill, the visit was going so well and she didn't want to press it.
She and Lex walked them to the manor main doors and Peyton remembered Clark's suggestion about keepsakes as she hugged Merrill goodbye.
"Oh, um, mom." She hedged. "While I'm up in Metropolis, do you mind if I stop by and maybe pick up some childhood things? I was thinking, what with the wedding and things being… official, it just might be nice to have some of my own stuff."
Merrill, oddly, squeezed her tighter and released her to once again hold Peyton's face in her hands.
"Of course, darling. You can look through whatever you like."
"Thank you."
Merrill continued to stare into her eyes like she'd found something, her own eyes almost glassy. It made Peyton's throat go dry but she couldn't explain the surge of emotion.
"Alexander has been so good for you for so long. I truly am overjoyed for you, Peyton. You won't have to worry about anything."
The comment rankled slightly, though Peyton didn't show it. She waved goodbye with Lex, his hand around her waist, and told herself she couldn't blame the woman. It wasn't her fault her daughter had been… taken over? Born empty? She still didn't know what she thought about the situation. But Merrill was likely doing the best she knew how, even if her statements sometimes didn't come across the way she thought.
They said their final goodbyes and watched as the pair drove away. Peyton let out a deep sigh.
"Do you think they'll let us have any more say in this after caving on the venue?"
Lex smirked.
"Very unlikely."
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It didn't take long for the entire town of Smallville to catch word of their upcoming nuptials. Whether it was from Clark spreading the news or the church managers, it didn't matter. The town wasn't exactly subtle about knowing it. And regardless of what the locals may have felt about the Luthors or the Woods, weddings meant money and people in a small town could always use an influx.
The local cafes and restaurants put out signs and ads about catering services and the bakery in town suddenly had a wedding cake example displayed in their front window.
Lex suggested that if they were going to use the local church as a venue, they might as well try to employ other local businesses too. Peyton liked that idea. Her mother was a bit harder to win over, but Peyton was able to convince her and the wedding coordinator that it would 'be unique, good for PR, and she would love it'.
The local bakery more than willingly cooperated with setting up a taste testing for them, and as Lex had a fundraiser to go to in Metropolis, Peyton was meeting her mother and the coordinator there by herself. She at least got his input that he liked chocolate and spice cakes.
Peyton parked where she could find an open spot on the street a block away from the bakery and put a couple dollars in the meter just to be safe. The sun shone down warmly against her skin and brought an air of levity to the moment that stopped Peyton from overthinking her situation again and spiraling.
Cake was good. She liked cake. Of all the wedding planning tasks this would have to be the most enjoyable.
The streets had a decent amount of traffic given it was a weekend, and everyone was taking advantage of the free time and good weather. A couple people looked vaguely familiar and it helped her feel less other; she wouldn't get that feeling in Metropolis.
"Peyton?"
She turned at her name and let out a small, disbelieving laugh.
"Hey, Clark."
He stared at her oddly and squinted at a spot near the crown of her head; Peyton's face wrinkled in mild confusion. Maybe the sun was in his eyes. Clark blinked with a slight shake of his head and seemed to straighten out his vision.
"Hey. So, uh, what're you doing? Are you and Lex- are you-?"
"Lex is actually in Metropolis for a fundraiser," Peyton said. "But I'm in town to go over wedding cake flavors if that's what you were getting at."
She gave him a knowing smile and Clark rubbed the back of his neck with a short laugh.
"Sorry, I mean- I wasn't the one who said anything. Well, I did tell my mom. But my mom wouldn't have told anyone. I don't think. Well, maybe my dad-"
"It's alright, Clark. News was going to get out sooner rather than later, and it's not like it was a big secret anyway."
He fell into step next to her and they continued down the sidewalk together. Clark cleared his throat again.
"Congratulations, then." He said. "You and Lex seem like you get along well."
"Thank you; we do." It was true enough. "Do you think your parents would take it as an insult if you all get an invite?"
Clark looked surprised.
"We're invited?"
"Of course. You saved our lives Clark, and your family has been the most welcoming to us since we got into town."
He hunched down slightly at the comment and winced suddenly as he rubbed at his eyes. Once again his gaze flickered toward her hair.
"Um," he hesitated as if unsure if he ought to say whatever he was thinking. "Did you ever get a tattoo?"
Peyton frowned.
"Tattoo?"
He moved to gesture upwards, but then seemed to second guess and stopped himself. Before she could press him for an explanation an alarm rang out, loud and shrill. She and Clark stopped and shifted to look. There was a bank a few doors down, and a man came barreling out of the doors with a red backpack and revolver in hand.
The man ran towards them. He was pale, bald.
He was Lex.
Peyton's heart dropped down to her toes as her thoughts scattered in a million directions. Clark moved to the middle of the sidewalk to intercept him.
"Lex! Lex, what's going on?"
But Lex didn't respond. He grit his teeth and shoved Clark away with such force that it threw him through a storefront window. Peyton shrieked in shock and took two steps back.
"Lex! What the hell? What are you doing?"
He looked at her and there was no familiarity in his eyes. There was something wrong about the way he held himself. Lex pointed the gun at her and Peyton threw up her hands.
"Move out of my way."
It was his voice but it was flat, cold.
She moved.
Lex shoved passed her and continued tearing down the street as the sound of sirens rose up over the bank alarm; Peyton turned back to Clark. He went through a glass window. She needed to pull out her cell phone. She needed to call an ambulance.
"Clark? Clark, are you okay?"
"I'm okay."
Impossibly, he stood up without much trouble and Peyton couldn't see a scratch on him. She still grabbed him by his shoulders and tried to give him a scan. Not a drop of blood. Her head tilted to the side as she took that in on top of everything else.
"I thought you said Lex is in Metropolis right now." Clark said, distracting her from her examinations.
"He- he is!"
"Then how did he just rob a bank?"
Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Peyton couldn't accept that it was him. Lex wouldn't rob a bank. He had no need to. Lex would not point a gun at her.
She scrambled for her cell phone and hit Lex's number as a couple police cars lurched to a stop in front of the bank. He didn't pick up the first few rings and Peyton's heart dropped lower. But then.
"Peyton? Hey, is the cake tasting going that badly?"
"Lex, where are you?"
She tried to sound calm, but her voice came out breathy and thin; something Lex picked up on right away.
"I'm still in Metropolis at this function. What's going on?"
He didn't sound winded. There were no sirens in the background of the call.
"I- I don't know. But you should probably stay in Metropolis for a little while longer. "
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They had to postpone the cake tasting. Peyton called her mother to let her know what happened, and she came rushing over just as the police officer finished taking Peyton's statement. The sight of her mother in fright and disarray helped Peyton shove down her own shock and confusion. Someone had to be grounded and calm, and she wasn't about to make that person be Clark.
She managed to recount the story yet again at her mother's insistence, even keeping her calm when her mother balked at the fact that the person looked like Lex.
"Alexander robbing a bank!"
"It wasn't him; it couldn't have been."
"I don't think it was him either," Clark piped up. "His- there was something different about that guy."
"I agree," Peyton concurred. "Besides, like I said, he's in Metropolis right now."
"Well," Merrill huffed, "if someone is trying to frame him, they're going to be irrevocably sorry. Both our families have the best lawyers in Metropolis on retainer, and by the time they're done this criminal won't have the freedom to spend a dime, if they have one left."
"I'm sure the police need to figure out what actually happened first," Peyton said.
"I should probably go," Clark hedged. "I have to let my parents know what happened before someone else calls them first."
Peyton snapped to attention, ashamed at herself for not thinking to offer sooner.
"Do you want to use my phone?"
But Clark shook his head.
"No, thanks, I think it'd be better if I told them in person." He gave her one last parting smile. "Hopefully this doesn't affect your wedding plans."
Peyton let out a breath.
"I'm sure it will get straightened out soon. You stay safe, Clark."
He nodded one more time and then took off; Peyton was left alone with near strangers and a situation that made less sense the more she thought about it. Perhaps Merrill had a point with the frame job idea. It was that or someone was running around Smallville shapeshifting.
Peyton snorted at the ridiculous thought.
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It took a few hours before Lex arrived back in Smallville. He left the fundraiser early, lawyered up, and made sure his alibi was well documented before having a conversation with the local police. To her immense relief it was enough to prove his innocence and Peyton hurried to meet him at the station. She caught him as he marched down the precinct steps, looking far too overdressed for the situation.
She only hugged him because the entire town now knew about them getting married, and it'd be strange if she didn't. That's it. She told herself Lex returned the embrace for the same reason. When she pulled back his expression was stern.
"You're alright?" He asked. "The cops said his guy was dangerous."
"I'm fine," Peyton insisted. "I'm grateful he didn't shoot me, but he put Clark through a window."
"Shoot you? He pointed a gun at you?"
His eyes went dark and Peyton squeezed his arms before taking a step back to give him space.
"Nothing happened."
Something could have though. She'd never had a gun pulled on her before and her hands still shook if she thought about it too long. But right now she was alive and there were other pressing issues that needed to be addressed.
"Lex whoever that was looked exactly like you. Sounded like you. The only reason I didn't believe it was you is because I know you'd never rob a bank or point a gun at me."
Lex's jaw ticked, but at least his eyes softened toward her.
"I'll call the detective in charge of the case tomorrow and see what leads they're working on. If they fail to produce anything satisfactory, I'll call a private investigator. Did the medics take a look at Clark? How bad was it? I'll cover any medical costs he has."
"He…didn't have a scratch on him."
Lex was silent as they maintained eye contact, their expressions matching in mutual disbelief.
"Well. I'm glad he's not hurt," Lex said carefully.
Clark had to have the best luck of anyone on earth. Otherwise it made no sense how he could escape so many harrowing experiences unscathed. When their car had crashed, she swore- she'd been so certain that they'd hit him. That burst of terror and dread and horror had been the last thing she remembered before the car hit the water and her world went black. But he'd been fine. Untouched. Well enough that he could run off the bridge, down the hill, dive into the water, then pull them both out before they drowned.
And now he'd been thrown through a glass window and didn't have a cut to show for it.
"It must have been thin glass." Peyton excused. Lex looked just as unconvinced as she felt.
"Maybe," he said.
Peyton sighed and tried to shake off the unhelpful direction her thoughts were going. Clark's seemingly, likely fully explainable, imperviousness wasn't their concern.
"Do you want to just go home?"
Lex looked mildly surprised at her question, though the surprise quickly melted into something warm. He pulled her under his arm as he led her towards his car, and Peyton didn't immediately protest.
"Yeah; let's go home."
"Lex, I can't leave the car."
"Of course you can. This is Smallville." Peyton pegged him with a droll look and he blew a puff of air from his nose. "I'll call and have someone pick it up."
Peyton rolled her eyes and decided she wasn't willing to argue over a car at the moment.
"You're lucky it's been such a weird day."
"I'll take my advantages where I can."
Peyton had no doubt about that.
She followed him to his car and only realized once they split up to get in on their own sides that she hadn't told him to let go of her. Another strike against her dedication to maintain distance. Even if people could see them, there wasn't any need for extended displays of affection in public.
He might read too much into it.
More than you agreeing to marry him? A snide voice in her head remarked.
Peyton scowled and redirected her thoughts as she clicked in her seat belt. Priorities. Triage.
"We're going to start locking the front door, right?" She asked, only partially joking, as he pulled out of the station parking lot. "Given whoever this is can nearly perfectly resemble you?"
Lex's jaw ticked at the reminder.
"If he's smart, he'd be out of Smallville already. But, yes, appropriate security measures will be taken. And I'll show you where the gun in the main room is."
It honestly didn't surprise her. A man with the amount of money Lex had with the number of people who would like to take it, or simply didn't like him, made owning a firearm sensible. But Peyton had never seen one in the main room.
"Please tell me there's a hidden compartment."
Lex smiled.
The gun was in a hidden compartment in the bookshelf on the wall next to Lex's desk. It was a clever little space, with a portion of the shelf lifting up to reveal a compartment, and more secure than putting it in a hollowed out book. Peyton was additionally shocked when Lex explained that the same bookcase also hid the entrance to the manor's panic room. It was bigger than she would have expected a panic room to be. But perhaps that was her humbler roots talking.
There was plenty of room for a couple people, a small cot for a bed, and a wall of monitors so that you could watch what was going on in the rest of the manor from inside. It was impressive. It was smart. She hoped no one ever had to use it.
"Once you're inside and the door shuts, they won't open again without you imputing the correct password," Lex said as she tore her eyes away from the monitors and followed him back out. "I can write it down for you, but obviously it'd be preferable if you memorized it. Not that any intruders would be inside with you. But I think it's better to be pragmatic about these sorts of things."
"Of course," said Peyton. "But here's to hoping neither of us ever need it."
"It's always better to have it and never need it than the alternative."
Lex closed the bookshelf and all traces of the panic room disappeared with a quiet 'click'.
It seemed obvious to Peyton that he was showing this to her now because of the bank scare. The car accident had been just that, an accident. The incident at the plant hadn't been directly targeted at Lex or her. But with this. Whoever this was either wanted Lex to take the fall or something more sinister was at foot. This was too personal. Too targeted.
"Hopefully the police will have some leads by tomorrow," Peyton said.
Lex let out a short hum in the back of his throat.
"Smallville's finest," he considered dryly. "We can only hope."
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Would you look at that? It's almost like I'm finally starting to try and set up plot points.