Chapter 13
Smallville High- 8 a.m.
"So remind me how you managed to get out of gym class for the next week?" Clark asked Lana as they walked into the school.
"Running the annual blood drive does have it's perks. Speaking of, when can I put you down for?"
"I'll need to check my schedule. Excuse me, I need to talk to Miss Romanoff about an assignment." He said as he spotted the young woman entering her classroom.
"Sure thing. I'll see you around." She said, and Clark nodded before walking away. A moment later he had entered Natasha's classroom, the redhead smiling as she saw him.
"Good morning." She said, kissing him softly once the door was shut.
"Good morning to you too." He replied with a smile.
"So, you and Lana seem friendly." She said casually and Clark just looked at her.
"Is that a problem?" He asked, and she laughed.
"No. I couldn't care less who you're friend's are. As long as they're not crazy maniacs trying to kill you."
"Well, I do try to have some standards as to who I associate with."
"That's a good thing. But it wouldn't hurt for people to think you and Miss Lang are particularly friendly." She said, and he raised an eyebrow in question.
"I'm afraid I don't follow you."
"People should think that you are still in love with Lana Lang."
"Ignoring the fact that I have no romantic feelings for Lana whatsoever, why does it matter to you what people think?" He asked, trying to keep his voice even. He couldn't help the thoughts that went through his mind as he heard Natasha's words. Was she going to leave him as his father had demanded? Was she going to disappear in such a way that even he couldn't find her? Or worse, was she going to break up with him and stay in town? Would he have to see her face every single day, knowing what he had lost, never able to have it back again?
"Because I would rather the whole town not know we're together. If Lex was able to come to that conclusion, it's not inconceivable that others could too. Now please, don't think for a second that I am ashamed to be with you. Nothing could be further from the truth."
"But-"
"But when people do find out about us, I want it to be on our terms. I don't want you to be unable to live your life because you're with me. And if people get suspicious the rumors will start flying, and I don't think I need to tell you what they'll be."
"You seduced me. You corrupted the poor innocent farmboy. Or I came onto you. We had sex and-"
He stopped talking, blushing as he realized both what he had said, and what he hadn't.
"And you got me pregnant." Natasha finished, her blush only slightly more controlled than Clark's.
For a moment there was silence, both of them wondering what to say next. Natasha broke the silence first, deciding to address the elephant in the room so to speak. Most would say their relationship was still too new to be broaching this topic, but given all that they knew about each other and all they had been through, Natasha felt Clark deserved to know.
"I can't have children. It was part of my training. Sex was fine. In fact, my superior's would encourage it. But any lasting attachment couldn't be tolerated. So we were sterilized. It was designed to keep us loyal, keep us focused on the mission."
She said all of this in a cold and detached voice, refusing to allow her emotions to show. Refusing to allow the agony she felt when the one good thing that had come from her training had been ripped away from her to show on her face. As much as she trusted Clark, as much as she cared for him, she wasn't ready to share that part of her past with him. Not yet.
"I can't either. At least I don't think I can. My DNA isn't like a human's." He replied, and she nodded the two of them just looking at each other. Both of them silently asking if they would be enough. Not that there was any guarantee they would be together forever, but if their relationship got to the point where that was what they both wanted, would they be enough?
Both smiled, embracing the other as they saw that the answer was yes.
"So, not that I mind a visit from my boyfriend, but is there something in particular you wanted?" She asked when they broke their embrace a moment later.
"I need you to make me a legend."
"Care to step back and explain where all this is coming from?" She asked, and he nodded.
"We've been attacked. I have been attacked twice in less than two months. Both times, a large part of the reason we won is because of you. Now I'm not trying to sound egotistical, but I can't keep relying on your skills or your reputation to help with scum like Phelan and Gonzalez."
"What are you saying Clark?" Natasha asked softly.
"I'm saying that I need an edge. I need these scum to be just as terrified of me as they are of you. I want them so terrified that if they do decide to come after one or both of us, they understand that they won't walk away alive."
"I don't want you to have to kill again." She told him, and he smiled.
"I don't either. But I also don't want someone hunting us every few days. And they're less likely to do that if they fear for their lives."
Natasha just stood there in silence for a few moments, thinking it over. Oh, it wasn't that what Clark was asking was difficult. A couple months, a few phone calls and Clark Kent would be known by another name. As an assassin who was just as lethal and dangerous as she was. And truth be told, it wouldn't be a complete lie. He was certainly capable of becoming the most dangerous man on the planet. But she hated what would be required to make that happen.
"Clark, I won't lie to you. I have contacts that can create that legend, that can ensure that whatever name you decide to take becomes synonymous with the most dangerous assassin on the planet. But, I won't. Because the only way to do that is by killing. Again and again and again until your soul is consumed by the number of lives you've taken."
"Natasha-"
"No!" She told him fiercely. She wouldn't allow him to have his life taken from him. Not like hers was.
"I wasn't planning on killing anyone else. I was planning on taking a page from this." He said, opening his bookbag and tossing a copy of The Bourne Identity on her desk.
"Charlie is for Delta and Delta is for Cain. Cain is for Carlos." She recited and he looked at her in surprise.
"Don't look so shocked. Plane flights can get boring, and I've never been one for romance novels."
He just nodded, and then he smiled.
"So who's the top assassin right now? Aside from you and your brother?"
Smallville High- 10:30 a.m.
"Aimee's got a crush on Lex Luthor?!" Troy Palmer laughed as he pulled the diary from her hand. His friends laughed, but Aimee just glared.
"Girls want someone like Lex Troy. He's a real man. Unlike some people I could name."
"Why you-"
"Is there a problem here?" Natasha asked from behind him.
"No. No problem at all." He replied, handing Aimee her diary back.
"Good. Now I suggest you boys run along."
The boys left, and Natasha just sighed. Boys like that gave her a headache. Well, a headache and a very strong urge to hit something. However, that would have to wait until the end of the day.
"Thank you Miss Romanoff." Aimee said, and Natasha nodded, before she smirked.
"So...Lex Luthor."
Aimee blushed, and Natasha chuckled.
"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."
Unknown to Natasha, she wasn't the only one who had observed Troy's treatement of Aimee. And while the former KGB operative might be content with simply warning the young man, this person was not. They would have payback.
Smallville High-12:00 p.m.
"So, you and Chloe are good now?" Pete asked as he and Clark walked into the locker room after gym class.
"Yeah Pete. We're good." The young man told his friend. And they were good. Chloe seemed as though she had finally gotten around to accepting Natasha, at least to the point where she didn't want the former KGB spy dead or run out of town. And Clark figured that was all he could hope for at the moment.
"Hey guys this isn't funny anymore!" They heard Troy yell from the other side of the locker room. A moment later they heard a crash, both racing over just in time to find Troy getting off the floor.
"What happened man?" Pete asked.
"I...It was like a ghost. It attacked me!"
"Well whatever it was it's gone now." Clark replied.
Luthor Mansion- 5 p.m.
"Looking for something?" Clark asked as he walked into the mansion with several boquets of tulips. Lex stood up off the floor, taking the tulips from his friend.
"Thanks for bringing these over Clark. They're Victoria's favorite."
"No problem. But my mom said if you wanted anymore you'd have to order them from Granville. You cleaned us out." He said, and Lex chuckled before getting back down on his hands and knees.
"What are you looking for?"
"My watch." Lex replied.
"Why not just buy another one? I hear Rolex came out with a new one."
"I have hundreds of watches Clark. But this one's special. It was made from an old French coin with Napolean's face on it. And it was given to me by my mother just before she died."
"I..I'm sorry. I didn't know." He replied, and Lex smiled.
"How could you have? But since you're here, mind giving me a hand?"
"Not at all." Clark said as he looked over the room, going so far as to use his x-ray vision.
"I don't see it." He replied, and Lex chuckled.
"What are you Clark? Part bloodhound?"
"No. Of course not."
There was an awkward silence for a moment, the young farmboy getting the feeling that his friend didn't necessarily believe his answer.
"So, why Napolean?" He asked after a minute.
"Did you ever see the painting of Napolean's coronation?" Lex asked, and Clark shook his head.
"His mother couldn't make it, but when he commissioned the painting, he told the artist to paint her in as though she was there anyway. He brought her in through sheer force of will."
"Well I don't think sheer force of will is going to find that watch." Clark said as he stood up and walked out of the study, intent on searching the rest of the house. A few moments later Clark walked into the library, seeing Victoria sitting at Lex's laptop. Now most wouldn't think much of a woman using her boyfriend's (or whatever Lex was to Victoria) computer, but the speed with which she closed the computer once Clark entered along with the sudden acceleration of her heartbeat, told the young man that she was probably not just checking her email.
"It's Clark isn't it?" She asked as she stood up from the desk.
"Yes m'am." He replied calmly.
"I'm looking for Lex's watch. You haven't seen it have you?"
"No, I haven't. But things always have a way of turning up." She replied before walking out of the library.
Fifteen Minutes Later
"Find anything?" Clark asked as he walked back into the room where Lex was.
"A whole lot of books I've never read. What about you?"
"Not a darn thing. Where's Victoria?" He asked and Lex raised an eyebrow as he walked over to the minibar.
"Taking a bath. Why? Are you thinking we should double date with you and Natasha?" Lex asked and Clark chuckled.
"I don't know about Natasha, but that's a little more high-profile than I'm ready for. But, there is a problem with Victoria. When I was in the library looking for your watch I-"
"She was going through my computer wasn't she?"
"You don't sound surprised. Or the least bit annoyed." Clark said, and Lex laughed.
"Clark, very little happens in this house without my knowledge, and as for being annoyed...it's just chess."
"I'm afraid I don't follow you. If you don't love her, why let her stay in your house? Why be around her at all?"
"Victoria's father Sir Harry owns a company which happens to be Luthorcorp's biggest rival. He has been buying up company stock for month's, but in order to get rid of my father he needs my shares."
"So Victoria is here to what? Convince you that selling your shares is a good idea?"
"You make it sound like such a bad thing." Lex said, and Clark just shook his head.
"I just can't wrap my head around a father using his child like a pawn in some game."
"Not every father can be Jonathan Kent. And not every woman can be Natasha Romanoff."
Any reply Clark may have given was preempted by the sound of Victoria's scream from upstairs.
The two men ran upstairs, seeing Victoria struggling to keep her head above water. A moment later she was sitting up, getting as much air into her lungs as she could. Lex ran over to her, putting a towel around her body while Clark averted his eyes.
The Torch 7 a.m. the next morning
"And Lex swore that he felt somebody run right past him." Clark said as he finished telling Chloe and Skye what had happened the night before.
"So we're dealing with invisible men now?" Skye asked.
"Looks that way. But looks like all things can be decieving." Chloe said as she picked up a cloth on her desk and rubbed it over her left ring finger. Her finger seemed to disappear before their eyes.
"Neat trick." Skye observed, and Chloe chuckled before turning the cloth over and rubbing her finger again. The blonde held out her hand, showing all five fingers were once again visible.
"Turns out that Troy reported his incident in the locker room to the Sheriff. I got a copy of the report which indicated that the dumbell he was hit with had a fluid on it. Fluid from a rose that has grown in Smallville for more than thirty years."
"Right in one. Now the only question is who would want Victoria dead."
"I think I might have an answer to that." Natasha said as she walked into the office.
"Amiee Porter. I broke up an argument between her and Troy yesterday morning."
"And less than two hours later Troy winds up hurt." Skye muttered.
"She also has quite the crush on Lex Luthor."
"Doesn't her family live at the mansion?" Clark asked, and Chloe nodded.
"Yeah. They came to town when Lex did." She replied, just as the bell rang.
"We'll finish this later. We have to go to class."
Smallville High- 12:30 p.m.
"Clark!" Lana called to him as he walked down the hall.
"We never set a time for you to donate. When can I put you down for?" She asked, pulling out her clipboard.
"I've kinda got this thing about needles. Maybe I could just pass out flyers or something." He suggested, and she smiled.
"Well I could use a hand organizing times for everyone. Maybe you can come by my house tonight, give me a hand?"
"Sure thing." He replied, just as Aimee walked by them. He focused his x-ray vision, seeing a watch that most definitely wasn't sold in Metropolis.
Luthor Mansion- 6 p.m.
"I'm sorry about this Joanne, but I have to be sure." Lex said as he walked past Aimee's mother, heading straight for the closet at the back of the girl's room. He opened it, completely shocked by what he saw. News articles, pictures and drawings covered every spare inch of the closet, and they all had one thing in common. Each and every one featured Lex Luthor. And sitting on the dresser in the middle of the closet was the watch that Lex's mother had given him all those years ago.
"Mr. Luthor, I...I swear to you we had no idea-"
"I understand Joanne." Lex said as he put the watch back on his wrist. "But Aimee obviously needs help. Send me the bill, no matter what it costs. However, I think it would be best for everyone if you leave the mansion tonight."
"Of course Mr. Luthor." She replied, and Lex nodded as he and Clark left the room.
"Thank you Clark. But how did you know that Aimee had my watch."
"I didn't. But Natasha broke up a fight earlier, and it seemed that Aimee's crush on you was the cause."
"Then I guess I'm grateful that the beautiful Miss Romanoff happens to be your girlfriend. Tell her I said thank you."
"I'll do that." Clark replied, before walking out of the mansion. As Lex turned, and headed back to his study, invisible eyes glared at where Clark Kent had stood mere seconds earlier. The plan had been changed. Lex Luthor could wait. However, Natasha Romanoff's time had come.
Natasha's Apartment- 6:30 p.m.
"So it looks like you were right. Aimee had Lex's watch." Clark said as he walked into the apartment.
"She probably just wanted to feel close to him. Or at least that's the way she would see it." Natasha said after she had greeted her boyfriend with a kiss.
"Yeah, well that's a little too close. The whole closet was some kind of collage or something of all things Lex. It was like she was collecting him or something." He replied, and Natasha just shook her head. The girl sounded like Colson and his precious Captain America cards. Except that Colson understood the difference between collecting a few cards, while it was likely that Aimee wouldn't have stopped until she collected a person.
"Lex told me to tell you thank you. We wouldn't have found the watch if you hadn't told me about that fight." He replied, and Natasha smiled.
"That was nice of him. Now can you stay for dinner? Skye should be back in just a bit. She and Pete were studying for my test tomorrow."
He smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that. Thank you." He replied in Russian, and she just laughed before the two walked to the kitchen.
Lana's House- 8:45 p.m.
"I've got station B at 4:30." Lana said, and Clark nodded from where he sat next to her on the porch.
"And I have station A at 5:00, which means that we are done." He replied, and she looked over at him in surprise.
"Are you serious?"
"Completely."
"Thank you Clark. You're a lifesaver." She told him and he grinned.
"My pleasure." He replied, and the two sat in comfortable silence for several minutes before Lana broke it.
"Clark, do you mind if I ask you something?"
"I think you just did." He replied, and the brunette just rolled her eyes.
"What do you want to know Lana?" He asked with a smile.
He only hoped that she wasn't about to ask about his powers. He would have to lie, and even though he knew that it was necessary, he hated having to lie to his friends.
"What's going on with you and Miss Romanoff?"
Clark kept his expression blank, but inwardly he was cursing himself. First Chloe and now Lana thought that there was something going on between him and Natasha. The problem was that they were right. Well it wasn't a problem per say...he was quite happy to be dating Natasha. The problem was that it was looking more and more like the whole town would know before too long. And that would bring problems that neither he or Natasha needed to deal with at the moment. So as much as he hated to do it, he looked Lana in the eye and lied.
"There is nothing going on between Miss Romanoff and I. She's my teacher, and that's it."
"Then there's nothing stopping me from kissing you is there?" She replied, leaning towards him.
"Lana, I can't do this." He replied, placing a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from leaning forward anymore.
Regardless of the fact that he and Natasha needed to keep their relationship a secret, he would rather tell the entire world they were together than betray her trust in him. He was in a committed relationship, and that meant he did not kiss anyone other than Natasha.
"Because there is something between you and Miss Romanoff." She said, and Clark just sighed. What was he supposed to do? If he denied it again, that made it look like he was lying. If he stormed off in a rage, or tried to change the subject, he looked like he was lying. There was only one thing he could do.
"Yes, Natasha and I are together. And I am asking you to keep that to yourself. The last thing she needs is for people to think she's anything but my teacher."
"I'll keep your secret Clark. And thank you for trusting me with the truth."
He nodded, feeling as though a great weight had left him now that Lana had agreed to keep her silence. But almost immediately he felt a new weight pressing down on his shoulder's as he thought about Natasha's reaction to Lana knowing the truth. One thing was certain...She was not going to be happy.
Luthor Mansion- Same Time
"Well, I see Clark isn't the only one who shows up in my home unannounced." Lex said as Natasha walked into his study.
"Clark told me about what happened with Aimee. I wanted to come by, see how she was doing." She replied, and Lex raised an eyebrow.
"Tell me Miss Romanoff, do you usually take such a vested interest in your students?"
"Let's just say I don't like seeing a girl get bullied. I just wanted to ensure that she was doing okay, that's all." She replied evenly.
"Well I'm afraid you just missed her. Your hunch on my watch was right on. Aimee's half way to Metropolis by now."
Before Natasha could reply, the doors to the study slammed shut behind her.
"You both should have just done the right thing!" A voice called, and Natasha sighed. It appeared things had just gotten really complicated.
Lana's House- 9 p.m.
"Yeah Chloe?" Clark asked as he answered his phone. He had spent the last few minutes talking with Lana, who thankfully understood or at the very least accepted that he wouldn't tell her anything about him and Natasha.
If he had, that would have meant both their secrets being exposed, and Clark wasn't going to allow that to happen. And thankfully she also understood that he would need to continue to appear as though he had a crush on her.
"I just got a call from my friend that got me the report on Troy. There was blood on the dumbell."
"Troy's?" Clark asked.
"No. Troy's type B. This blood was type A." She replied, and Clark reached for the chart he and Lana had been using.
"Aimee's type O. She didn't attack Troy." He replied, still looking through the chart.
"Clark look at this." Lana said, pointing to the bottom of the chart.
"Jeff. He's type A."
"Jeff? As in Aimee's brother?" Chloe asked, and Clark nodded though she couldn't see it.
"Yeah."
"But he's always so quiet. It's almost like he's-"
"Invisible?" Clark finished.
"I'll talk to you later Chloe." He said as he stood up. He hung up and walked away before Lana or Chloe could say a word, the previous attacks running through his mind. Now that he knew who was responsible for the attacks, the motive was clear. Jeff had been trying to make Aimee happy. Troy had been attacked because he had been bullying Aimee. Victoria had been attacked because she was seen to be in the way of Aimee getting together with Lex. But now Aimee was gone...Because of Natasha! He had talked to Lex based on Natasha's information, and Lex had kicked Aimee's family out of the mansion as a result. Which meant that Jeff's next target's were either Lex or Natasha. The only question that remained was which one?
Luthor Mansion- Ten minutes earlier
"Aimee?" Natasha asked, only to receive a cold laugh in response.
"No. Then again Miss Romanoff, I'm not surprised that you thought I was Aimee. Most people forget that she even has a sibling."
"Jeff. You don't have to do this. You can just leave, and nothing has to happen." Lex said, only to find himself thrown against the wall.
"NOTHING HAS TO HAPPEN?!" Jeff raged, the young billionaire barely conscious enough to look towards the direction of the young man's voice.
"That was always your problem Luthor. Aimee was devoted to you, she loved you, but that was never going to be enough for you! WAS IT?!"
"Jeff, that kinda love could get me arrested."
"I'm sure Miss Romanoff could explain how it works. After all, age didn't seem to stop her. I wonder what everyone would think when they find out that Lex Luthor isn't the only one obsessed with Clark Kent."
Natasha didn't have much time to ponder that comment because Jeff had picked up a mace that was hanging on the wall. A mace that was now swinging straight towards Lex Luthor's head. And given that the billionaire was barely conscious as it was, there was no way he would be able to dodge it. If Natasha was honest, she didn't think he would be able to dodge it even if he wasn't injured. Natasha pulled the gun she always carried at her ankle and fired towards where the mace was.
She heard a muttered curse and the mace fell, digging into Lex's leg. He would hurt for a while, but he would live.
Jeff fell to the ground, the now visible young man clutching his shoulder.
"You shot me!" He yelled, and Natasha nodded.
"I did. You're lucky I couldn't see you." She replied, walking over to him, moving his hand so that she could take a look at the wound.
"You'll live." She replied, and he just glared at her.
"You hurt a lot of people."
"Nobody was supposed to get hurt. All I wanted was to make sure my sister was happy."
Natasha nodded before reaching behind the teen, pinching a nerve on his neck. Two seconds later he was out cold on the floor. She walked to where Lex sat against the wall, finding the billionaire unconscious. She smiled. Now all that was left to do was make a call and deal with Lex's camera's.
Luthor Mansion- Now
"Lex! Lex!"
"In here Clark." Natasha called, and Clark ran into the study, eyes taking in the scene. Once he had determined there was no threat, he walked over to Natasha and embraced her.
"Are you okay?" He asked, and she nodded.
"I'm fine. Lex and Jeff are hurt, but they'll live."
"Good shot." He said, looking over her shoulder at Jeff's unconscious form.
"Thank you." She replied with a smile.
"Lex didn't-"
"No, I don't think he saw me. I called Colson. He'll deal with Jeff,, help him get better."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" He asked, and she shook her head.
"Not totally. But it beats Belle Reve." She replied, and he nodded.
"Alright then. Now, just what the devil were you thinking?" He asked, and her smile fell.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Coming to Lex's on your own when we thought Aimee was behind this? You should have-"
"I should have what? Told you first? Asked your permission?" She asked, and he glared.
"That's not what I meant. I just don't like the idea of you going into a dangerous situation alone."
"It wouldn't be the first time." She replied calmly.
"Well if I have any say in the matter, it will be the last. I don't want to lose you Natasha." He said softly, and she smiled.
"I'm not going anywhere. But just know, that works both ways. I don't want you going into a dangerous situation alone either." She replied, and now it was his turn to smile.
"Agreed. Now, shall we get out of here?" He asked, but she shook her head.
"I need to erase the security footage on Lex's camera's. And then I need to set up a meeting for your legend."
"Where are we going?"
"No we. Just me. My contact is a bit paranoid. Any unknown variables and he'll bolt."
"Natasha-"
"I'll call if I need you. But I have to do this alone." She told him. For a long moment, Clark just stared into her eyes. Then he nodded once.
"But you call me the second you get in trouble, understand? I'll keep an ear out." He replied, and she nodded as well.
"Have you thought of a name?" She asked, and he smirked.
"Jason Bourne."
She smiled, kissing him softly before he walked out of the study, leaving Natasha alone with the unconscious Lex. Five minutes later Natasha had removed all evidence of the security footage, just as Lex was regaining consciousness.
"Natasha? What-"
"What happened is that I just saved your life. Which means you owe me. Now, don't say a word. Just stay quiet until I'm done. I heard what Jeff said about Clark. And that is how you will pay me back. You will stop looking into Clark Kent. If he's your friend like you say he is, that shouldn't prove too difficult."
"And if I don't?" He asked, standing up, the billionaire wincing from the pain in his leg.
"You don't want to know the answer to that." She replied before walking out of the room.
Lex stood there for several long moments after she had left, finally deciding that he would do as she asked. He would put his investigation into Clark Kent on hold. After the conversation he had just had, he felt that moving his investigation into Natasha Romanoff to the top of the list would prove much more...insightful.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! As for Clark's legend, that will be relevant later in the story! Please read and review, and the next chapter will be up soon!