Fic: Must Be Dreaming, Part Four
Title: Must Be Dreaming
Series/WIP: Sequel to So Much Dreaming
Pairing: Clex!
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After being abducted by aliens and discovering that Jonathan Kent is alive, Lex must come to grips with his shifting relationship with Clark and an unexpected pregnancy.
Spoilers: Through S5, after Cyborg.
Warnings: MPREG!!
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Clark visited Lex daily. The forced bed rest was almost worth it to see Clark’s grinning face every day when he woke from a nap. Of course, having so little to distract him while Clark visited so attentively, Lex found himself a little uncomfortable at times. He was glad for the thick blankets.
Lex sat propped up by pillows in the bed that had once been reserved for Clark, a fact that struck him as a bit odd. Back in the day, before his asshole father had given Clark the key to his room and thus all of his secrets, Lex had slept in this bed a few times when he knew Clark had been there recently. He’d noticed how good Clark smelled even then. It had felt good to be close to Clark in his small ways. He had never believed his obsession with Clark would ever truly bear fruit. He wasn’t confident that it would now.
As Clark wasn’t around at the moment, Lex tried to relax and rang for Domovoi to bring his laptop and cell phone. The graying man frowned as he brought it, but, taking his cue from Lex’s expression, kept his opinion to himself.
By the time Clark returned, Lex was deep into a phone conference, touching base with a few of the more delicate projects, while simultaneously reading a report on his laptop and popping off emails. Clark stood there for a moment, dumbstruck at what he was seeing. He stepped forward, plucked the phone from Lex’s hand, and turned it off.
“What the hell are you doing?” Lex demanded.
“You collapsed a few days ago. Are you trying to kill yourself?”
Lex sighed impatiently. “I’m trying to keep a business running, Clark. I’ve been out far too long already with the abduction-“
“Yeah, cause that was totally your fault,” Clark said sarcastically, pacing around the bed.
“Whether it was or not doesn’t matter. My absence makes the company vulnerable.” Lex held out his hand. “Give me my cell back.”
“No! Toby said you were under too much stress. No business calls!”
“Believe me, Clark, this situation right here is not lowering my stress levels.” Lex shifted himself irritably in the bed.
“I know it sucks, but you have to rest.”
”I’m off my feet. Rest doesn’t mean vegetate!” Lex exploded in exasperation. Dream of Olwen began to play on his phone. Lex reached out. “Give it.”
Clark shook his head, and Lex glared at him and crossed his arms irritably. Clark almost laughed at the image of Lex pouting because he wasn’t allowed to work of all things. He answered the phone, raising his brows and speaking in satisfied tone. “Lex isn’t able to come to the phone right now.”
Clark started in surprise when he heard a wounded sound on the end of the phone.
“Dios mio! Is he worse? I thought he was getting better!” The woman’s voice was low and strained, as though she were trying not to cry.
“Uh, no…”
“What happened?! God, is the b- is he…” she trailed off in a tear choked voice.
Clark found himself shaking his head unconsciously. “No, no! I mean he’s not worse. I was just trying to keep him from working from his sickbed. Who is this?”
“Mother fucker! Jesus, you made my heart stop!”
“Uh, sorry.” Clark looked guiltily at Lex, who was still frowning at him and now asking him with his eyes what the hell was going on.
“Give him the phone,” she ordered. Clark obeyed without thinking. Lex took the phone and narrowed his eyes tetchily at Clark.
“Hello? Lena!” Lex’s face immediately brightened. “No, I feel a lot better. Well, I was just worn down… Dr. Tanaka says everything is fine, but I need to work in a little more downtime. I’m not sure how I’m going to manage it actually, but Clark seems committed enough to my invalid status for the both of us.”
Clark wasn’t sure how to respond when the conversation went on for more than a minute. Who the hell was Lena? She was obviously close enough to Lex that she worried about him. Lex had never sounded that pleased when he was on the phone with Helen or any of the other women who had breezed in and out of Lex’s life. Sometimes he didn’t even sound that happy when Clark called, although Clark had to admit that he and Lex didn’t speak on the phone that much. Maybe he was missing something by not calling.
Eventually, Lex motioned for Clark to take a seat. “I’m being rude. Can I call you back…? Oh, good. I’ll stop wasting your time then.” Lex laughed at whatever her response was. “When are you off? Fine, I’ll call… I would love a visit. Now that I’m conscious more I get very bored… Take care of yourself, Lena… Aha ha, bye.”
“Uh. Wow,” Clark grumbled. It had been really hard not to listen in on Lex’s conversation.
“Sorry about that. I dropped off the face of the planet for a while, and she got worried. Well, technically, she was worried to begin with. My absence must have made it quite a bit worse.”
“I uh…” Clark looked at him as if hoping Lex would be in the mood to explain who he’d been chatting so warmly with.
Lex’s lips were ever so slightly curved as he slowly tapped the scroll space on his laptop. “How are things going, Clark? Got you applications in yet?”
“Um. No.”
“Maybe you should bring that over. You fill those out while I work. We can call a quitting time and make sure your responsibilities get taken care of and I knock it off before I wear myself out?” Lex suggested. Then he yawned widely.
“Looks like you’re halfway there already.”
“I’m not,” Lex protested. He leaned his head back against the pillows. He grimaced. “Besides, Romie is going to try to feed me pretty soon.”
“Poor baby.”
Lex stuck his tongue out at Clark, who laughed. “I’m not used to idleness.”
“I can tell.” Clark reached out to take his laptop. Lex glowered at him, and Clark paused, his hand halfway there.
“I’m attempting to explain via email to the very important person who you cut off on the phone why I hung up on him.”
“Lex, I’m sorry about that, but really, you’ve got to slow down. I’m worried about you.”
Lex simply sighed. He finished typing, closed his laptop, and looked up a Clark in askance. “I know, and I know.”
Clark scooted closer and bit his lip, looking at Lex intensely.
“I’m not going to stop working. Not entirely. I can’t.” Lex furrowed his brow a little in thought. How was he going to work this? He could delegate quite a bit to Mercy. He trusted that she could handle things, particularly after he had disappeared without warning, and she had seamlessly taken charge. Nevertheless, he would have to have some sort of presence for the company, expanding figure or no.
“Does your stomach hurt?” Clark asked suddenly.
Lex realized he had been rubbing his stomach as he was thinking.
“No… well, it’s a dull ache. Not really as sore as I was before,” he answered honestly. Although if he moved around too much, he certainly felt it. Tanaka said the ligaments inside him were stretching and becoming more flexible.
Clark stood and walked over to the dresser where Toby had left several pieces of equipment. He picked up the heating pad and began to set it up.
“You don’t have to do that, Clark…”
“Hush. One of the few things I can help with, remember?” Clark pulled back the covers just enough to have access to Lex’s midsection and laid the pad over it carefully. “Let me turn up the heat.”
“Not too high,” Lex warned softly. He was a little afraid that too much heat would end up cooking the fetus. Clark handed him the control. “Oh, well that’s handy.”
Clark looked up at him, his green eyes roaming over Lex’s resting body. Lex couldn’t quite define the expression on his friend’s face, but once he set the control down, his hand drifted over to Clark’s shoulder and caressed it lightly. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your company. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t gotten the doctor to come quickly.”
“I think you’d be fine without my help. You’ve survived this year so far without me.” Clark walked back over to his seat, but sat on the side of the bed instead, curling a leg underneath him.
Lex shrugged. “Define ‘survived.’”
Clark smiled a little and leaned forward. Lex became unbored very quickly and pulled up the covers over the heating pad.
***
It is a frog on the dissection table.
Its belly is split open. Its organs exposed. It can’t move, and the man with the cheekbones hovers over it moving his hands around its insides. Violating it. Changing it.
The specimen tries to yell at the man, but its words are caught at the back of its throat. The man smiles slightly, as though he knows what is being screamed silently at him, and it is amusing rather than frightening or disturbing.
His little specimen is unhappy.
It takes short little panicked breaths. The man watches its lungs moving quickly. The man leans over to his specimen, looking into its steely blue eyes, sliding a finger slick from the creature’s juices along its jaw. The man kisses it, forcing his tongue into its mouth. He can feel it tensing. It cannot move, but he can see terror and helplessness in its eyes. The man straightens and looks down at the vivisection. It is beginning to close at the edges. He frowns and makes another slice at the collarbone and the pelvis.
The man with the cheekbones cannot let the specimen heal.
Lex woke with a high-pitched cry and struggled against the blankets holding him down. Arms came up to hold him, and he flailed, trying to keep them off, keep probing unfamiliar hands and touches far away from him. Suddenly his body lurched, and a strong hand grasped his shoulder and leaned him to the side of the bed over a medical receptacle.
He expelled the contents of his stomach into the receptacle, his insides violently spasming from a sudden urge to force everything foreign inside of him out out out. Even when everything was gone, he continued to gag until the strong hands began rubbing his back soothingly. He arched away from them and almost fell out of the bed before he realized where he was.
Lex felt tears in his eyes, and his throat felt raw. Clark was in the bed with him, holding his large hands up as though he didn’t know what to do with them.
“It’s me, Lex. You’re safe. Okay? Are you alright?” Clark asked very softly. Martha Kent stood beside the bed, her eyes wet with tears and a hand over her mouth. Her husband held her supportively. Lex turned his head and saw Toby wiping his palms on threadbare jeans, waiting to see if he would throw up again. Lex wiped his mouth and tried to regain his composure. He realized he was perched precariously on the side of the bed.
“Just a…” His voice sounded alien to him, as though coming from someone else. “A dream.”
“A nightmare,” Clark corrected. He seemed as though he wanted to ask what it had been about. Lex felt himself shaking and began moving himself away from the edge. Clark tried to help him, but Lex instinctively recoiled so hard that Clark leapt up from the bed to give him some space.
“Everyone has nightmares,” Lex whispered. He felt like he couldn’t catch his breath with everyone staring at him. With one hand curled around his middle, he inched over to the center of the bed, drew his knees up to his chest, and tried to take a few deep breaths.
After a dozen or so, his heart had begun to beat a little more normally. He rested his forehead on his knees.
“There you go, man, no problem.” Toby offered him a bottle of water, and Lex took it, sipping gingerly. His stomach still felt tight and funny. Toby moved forward to check his pulse, and Lex shook his head quickly. “Got to, man. You know why.”
“Just give me a minute.”
Toby leaned back against the dresser and waited until Lex had drunk most of the water. The room was dead silent, and Clark’s eyes never left him.
“I’m fine, Clark. It was a dream,” Lex said, although he doubted he sounded very convincing. He nodded to Toby and braced himself for the touch. Toby was brisk with his examination, and Lex practiced some well-earned skills in departmentalization and simply pretended that Toby wasn’t there. “Hey. Breathe, Clark.”
He ignored the fingers probing his stomach and reached out for Clark’s hand. “I’m sorry if I frightened you.”
“No, Lex.” Clark squeezed Lex’s offered fingers, but didn’t move any closer. “I… uh.”
Lex really wanted to find something idle to talk about. “M-mrs. Kent, how is the race this fall looking?”
“Oh. Uh… not bad. I think I’ll be getting a lot of support,” she said, seeming to pick up on what he was doing. Clark remained tightlipped and wide-eyed until his parents and Toby left.
“Lex…”
“I don’t really want to talk about it, Clark.” Lex burrowed under the covers. He actually didn’t want to be there. He was very uncomfortable and wondered if Toby would let him take a shower by himself.
“You… you were dreaming about the abduction, weren’t you?”
Lex sighed and rolled over.
“I’m sorry he hurt you. I never meant for that to happen.”
“I don’t know why you think that it had that much of anything to do with you.”
Clark made a small sigh. “You said yourself that Fine was obsessed with me. He’s gone after everyone around me.”
“I wasn’t around you at the time.”
“Well… still…”
Lex felt a tentative hand on his back. He flinched involuntarily, and the hand drew back. “It’s okay. You can…”
Immediately, Clark was back on the bed rubbing circles on Lex’s back.
“Thanks. I really didn’t mean to spook your parents,” Lex said flatly. He felt embarrassed for letting them all see him so shaken by a dream.
“Don’t worry about that. We already knew something bad happened up there in the ship.”
Lex thought about the baby. “It could have been worse.” Or could still be worse, for all I know.
Clark made a scoffing noise. “Okay. Fine, you’re brave. I get it already.”
“I’m not sure how shaking and puking has intimidated you, Clark. I’ll try to reign in my manliness.”
“Milton Fine abducted you and did experiments on you. You’re shaking like a leaf, and you let a doctor paw all over you! You let them grab on you every day and give them samples of your blood. I don’t think I could do that,” Clark admitted, sounding a little frightened.
Lex thought about that for a moment. “I think I’m just used to it.”
“But wouldn’t you avoid it if you could?”
“If I could, yes. I hardly ever see doctors if I can help it. Even when I’ve been shot. I won’t stay overnight if I can walk out of there.”
“Then why are you letting this…?”
“I have a vested interest in my health these days. For some reason.” Lex turned his head back around to Clark, who looked back with wide, sad eyes. “Don’t worry about me so much.”
“I always do. Even when we’re not friends.”
“That’s good to know,” Lex said. Clark’s strong hands on his back continued to rub, and eventually, he was able to fall back into a thankfully dreamless sleep.
***
Chloe lay on her stomach on her bed, typing on her computer and cataloging information for a potential new section on the Cyber Wall of Weird. She had put out some tentative feelers for instances of male pregnancy, not particularly expecting any serious responses.
Hoo boy, was she getting some of the most whacked out feedback she’d ever seen! Demon possession, crazy scientists, mutations, seahorses, wish granting demigods or spirits, alien anal probes, magic… Chloe was having a hard time figuring out where the fantasy ended and the real weird began. So she had simply begun to enter all of her information into a database and would try to verify as much of it as possible. The cases involving aliens were clearly of the most interest to her, but a few emails that claimed there were doctors out there working on male pregnancies for various reasons were interesting as well, if true.
“Huh.” She opened up an email titled ‘Genesis Industries’ from a fellow ‘truth-seeker’ who had responded to the general call on her website. She knew that Genesis Industries advertised as specializing in fertility research, which, she speculated, was one of the reasons Lex had hired Tanaka.
u asked for rl mpreg + i dated a guy who used to work 4 Genesis Industries back when it started up about 10-15 yrs ago. ish. hard 2 say how long. anyway my ex bf said back then that the head doctor and geneticist were working on an extra project that involved getting men pregnant. generally like anyone without a womb but a man specifically. u might look into that.
“I might. Since Lex’s doctor is part of that group now,” she muttered to herself, biting her thumbnail. She emailed the person back.
Do you have any names of the doctors in charge? Was a Tanaka Tomiko one of them? I know she’s high in the ranking right now.
“Send,” she announced to no one. She began filling in the information she had so far from that case. Another email popped up in her inbox. “That was fast.”
Tanaka was 1 of the geneticists. she’s not really medical, thou this was about 15 some yrs ago so maybe she’s expanded her skills? the head doc was Red-something. the mpreg stuff was his project + she was all about working w/dna and stuff. she was always kinda creepy.
“Hm. Interesting, but kind of a tangent,” Chloe mused. She began to type out a new message.
Lana opened the door abruptly and stormed over to her bed, throwing her backpack onto it. Chloe quickly collected her papers and clippings on male pregnancy and shoved them inside a book, then shut her laptop. Lana sighed dramatically and dropped onto Chloe’s bed.
“Bad day?” Chloe asked casually.
“Chloe, I just don’t know what’s going on with Clark lately. It’s like he just doesn’t want to be around me. Has he said anything to you?” Lana looked at her expectantly. Chloe was pretty relieved. She had been afraid Lana would directly ask her about her research on Lex, and a face off or two with the man himself had told her that she wasn’t a great liar.
“He hasn’t said anything about you, but I know he’s just been spending a lot of time with Lex.” Chloe rolled over onto her side. “Apparently he’s stubborn as hell because Clark’s called to complain how hard it is to keep Lex from working. He’s just trying to be a better friend. I bet if Lex keeps improving, you’ll see more of him than you can stand, soon.”
Lana furrowed her brow and began to pull her hair back into a bun. “I guess. I just wish he could spend a bit of time with me. This long distance thing has been really hard for us. He could try more. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who’s really in this relationship.”
“He’s a boy. Plus, he’s Clark. You have to be obvious. If you want more attention, Lana, you have to say ‘gimme more attention, you n00b!’” Chloe smiled a little, trying to cheer Lana out of her bad mood.
Lana turned her head back, still frowning. “Does that work for you?”
“I’ve had like… one boyfriend. Maybe one and a half, and neither called me. Sex buddies are a lot easier to deal with,” Chloe said dryly. Lana pursed her lips in disapproval. Chloe let her eyes drift over the smooth skin of Lana’s neck, then looked away.
“I could find you a boyfriend, Chloe. Or at least a date,” Lana offered, trying to sound supportive. “You don’t have to be alone all the time.”
“I’m not alone,” Chloe insisted, expressively spreading her hands. “I have Clark and Lois and you, and I still talk to Pete. Plus, I have my fellow groundlings at The Daily Planet to commiserate our measly miserable status and online buddies! I’m fine.”
“I know that Chloe, but you’ve been single for such a long time,” Lana replied with a sugary sympathetic look. “I don’t want you to have to miss out because you can’t find anyone who isn’t a jerk or a meteor freak! I wonder if Clark knows anyone. We could pry him from Lex’s bedside and go on a double date.”
“Considering Clark is blaming himself for Lex getting sick-- don’t even ask I don’t know how he decided that-- I kinda doubt that will happen until Lex is back on his feet.” Chloe sat up and waited for Lana to turn the conversation back to herself.
“We could at least try to get him out,” she pleading, tilting her head to the side and creasing the corners of her eyes.
“Maybe I could date Lex. We could have a double date around his bed,” Chloe suggested sarcastically.
Lana’s lips curved slightly. “Do you think they’d agree to that?”
“No, I’m pretty sure Lex would pat my head and give me a cookie or something.” She stood, picked up her human anatomy book, and sat at her desk. “Granted, the cookie would probably be the most expensive gourmet confection you’d ever seen, but I’d still be embarrassed. I think the best I can do is offer to baby-sit Lex while Clark gets his butt out of there to be with you for a few hours.”
“Would you?” Lana asked in a pleading tone, tilting her head and smiling.
Chloe sighed. ”I’ll ask Clark, okay?”
“Yes!” Lana gave a small pump of her fist and bounced back to her bed. She began freshening herself up to go out.
“No homework?” Chloe asked, leaning back in her chair and propping her feet on the bed. She smiled a little at her dorky rainbow colored toe-socks. They were the little secret under her shoes that made her smile during hard parts of the day.
“I’ll get to it later. I met a few people, and we’re going out for coffee.”
“See you later,” Chloe called after her when Lana left. She sighed to herself, then debated whether she should actually study science or keep up the investigation. The investigation was tempting. “Okay. One hour of science at least. Must be diligent. Must remember that I am a student.”
She pulled out a notebook to make notes and headed over to the coffeepot to get some good brew started. Her eyes drifted over to Lana’s bed, books abandoned. Accessories strewn over her dresser. She had flitted in and out of there without asking how Chloe was doing or even considering asking her to go out with her.
“Oh, Lana. I spent way too much time being in love with you,” she said to herself, smelling the aromatic coffee that began to drip slowly. The Kents had special ordered her flavored coffees for Christmas, and it was probably the best gift she’d gotten in awhile, not including explosives from her uncle and the yellow and black laptop computer Lex had gotten her for her eighteenth birthday. Funny, how that gift was now being put to use to save him. Especially since she would never be putting the details of this case into a report or the Wall of Weird, and maintenance of her files had been one of the reasons Lex had the laptop designed for her.
Chloe looked out the window and thought about Lana’s impending date with Clark. He’d find it hard to say no to Lana, even if he was very worried about Lex. As he should be, Chloe knew, but she still wasn’t going to say anything. Not yet. She picked up her cell phone and began to dial Clark’s number. “Spent too much time in love with you, too.”
***
Martha stepped out of her office, handing some files to her secretary, and walked briskly to her rented car. If nothing else, her new job as senator was giving the Kent family a much-needed second income. She had considered going for the national position, but now that Jonathan was back, she would be able to focus on her family, at least part of the time.
“Why, hello, Martha,” Lionel’s voice boomed, sounding both friendly and slightly hollow. She crossed her arms and looked back.
“Hello, Lionel.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say I thought you were avoiding me,” Lionel said as he headed down the steps with her. “Actually, I know you’re avoiding me. And I do understand. Your husband is back, and he dislikes me. It’s awkward, and I apologize.”
“Clark isn’t too fond of you either, Lionel. Not to mention his friendship with your son is heating up again, and the two of you aren’t exactly a Norman Rockwell painting,” Martha replied pointedly.
“Yes. Well.” Lionel turned his head and ran an anxious hand through his hair. “Do you know how Lex is doing? Oh, he tells me that he’s fine, of course, but that is what he always says. Whether he’s collapsing, shot, just been set on fire…”
“He’s improving,” she told Lionel with a concerned frown. Their poor relationship was keeping him from his son during his illness. She would hate to be away from Clark, when he needed her support. “The doctors still aren’t sure what’s wrong with him, but he’s looking much better, starting to get stronger. Whatever was done to him during the abduction, I’m sure Lex will be able to recover from it… I can let you know, if he gets worse.”
Lionel’s eyes went wide for a moment, and then he turned his head blinking slowly. He looked back to Martha and stroked his beard pensively. “Yes, yes. I would appreciate it. Well, at least he’s healing. Lex is quite adept at that. Do let me know, and I’ll let you go, Martha. I don’t want to keep you against your will.”
Martha sighed and watched him hurry down the steps. She followed him and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Lionel, I may not be able to give you what you want, but I promise you, you were my friend when I needed one, and you’ve helped protect me and more importantly, Clark, and I won’t neglect the favor, okay? Maybe we can’t… go out for coffee at The Talon, or whatever the kids do.” She smiled at the silliness of the idea. “But don’t think you can’t say hello. Kents don’t forget their friends.”
Lionel’s lips curved into an appreciative smile. He nodded and clasped her shoulder. “I’m very grateful to still have you in my corner.”
Returning to his car, Lionel’s smile twisted wider until he was grinning, then laughing softly to himself. ‘Bumping into’ Martha today had been well worth the trip to Topeka. He’d been slightly worried given Jonathan’s interference that his plans concerning her term in office would be cast awry. No more. She was as malleable as ever.
“Abducted, hm,” Lionel mused to himself as he nodded to his driver and slid into the backseat of his car. He would have to find out more about this abduction. By whom? And for what purpose? Investigation into this matter would surely prove interesting.
***
Lex sucked in his cheeks and looked up from his bed at Clark and Chloe dubiously. “I’m not a five year old. I don’t need someone to sit with me, Clark. If you want to go see Lana, then go see her for fucks’ sakes.”
Clark’s eyes widened at Lex’s sharp tone. “It’s not that I want to see her-“
“She’s your girlfriend,” Chloe admonished. How could he pine after her for most of his life on this planet and then suddenly not want her once he had her?! Men! “Go. Be with her. Then you can come back. Lex’s doctor is here. Tanaka’s on call. If Lex takes a turn for the worse, I will call you, okay? Immediately.”
Clark shifted his feet and sighed, looking at Lex guiltily.
“If you’re gonna look at me like that, you can just go,” Lex said irritably. Clark ignored his tone and leaned over to give him a hug. Lex made a grumbly noise and hugged him back. “Go have some fun for me. And for poor Chloe, who is apparently stuck with me.”
“Poor Chloe really has nothing more exciting than this planned for her night off. Working on a term paper and eating a pint of mocha swirl,” she pointed out.
“I can’t promise this is going to be that much more exciting. My servants have turned on me. They check in every fifteen minutes to make sure… I don’t know. That I’m not practicing fencing or doing heavy aerobics or whatever they think it is I’m going to try to do when I have difficulty walking across the room.”
Clark pulled out his cell. “He’ll try to get on his laptop and work, that’s what he’ll try to do. Just make sure he rests some, okay?”
Chloe saluted, and when Clark hesitated, she started to push him out of the room. Clark protested at first, but then Lana called his cell, and he let himself be scooted into the hall.
“Twit,” Chloe panted coming back over to the chair by Lex’s bed. She snuck a good look over his form in the bed. Of course, he wasn’t far enough along to really tell anything, but with alien abduction, who knew how fast his pregnancy would progress?
Lex gave her with a dubious frown. “Which one? Him or her?”
“Heh. Maybe both.” She toed off her shoes and put her feet on the bed.
Lex smirked at the sight of the toe-socks with smilie faces on them.
“You’ve seen my deep dark secret, Lex. No one must know about the happy feet. Now, I’m going to have to kill you,” Chloe said in complete seriousness as she pointed at him with her left big toe. Lex laughed.
“Are you? How are you going to get past Clark with that one?”
”I’ll say a meteor rock infected my brain,” she answered easily, picking up her book bag and looking for the novel that they were reading in Western Lit. She was sooo behind. Studying mpreg really ate up a girl’s time.
“Pfft. I hate to break it to you, but unless you become raven-haired by then, I don’t think that excuse is gonna fly.”
“I can buy some black hair-dye. It’s all I need for my nefarious plan.” She raised her voice in pitch and shook her head ask though her plans were irrefutable.
“But of course. I’m doomed,” Lex replied, looking over to the window restlessly. After a minute or two of dead silence, Chloe got up and fetched his laptop and cell phone.
“Don’t overdo it,” she instructed, then retook her place in the chair. Lex gave her a grateful look, and the two of them worked together in amiable silence for quite awhile before Romie came in with a cart and two trays. “Oh, wow. Is it dinner time already?”
“We’re trying to keep Lex on a steady schedule of six smaller meals a day, so his stomach can handle the food more easily. And Clark is always hungry, so it doesn’t matter when you feed him,” Romie explained. Chloe nodded with a serious frown. She’d been skimming about normal pregnancies, and that sounded about right.
“I doubt Chloe wants to know so much about my diet,” he said with a bit of warning in his voice.
“Want dinner?” Romie asked, setting a tray on the bed for Lex. “Please try, Lex.”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind dinner, but I can’t eat all of that,” Chloe said, looking at the plate designed for Clark. Or a bull elephant.
“Don’t worry about it. Just eat whatever you want, and we’ll send someone up for the rest.”
Chloe shrugged and accepted the plate, picking at the food as Romie left. “Clark eats enough for two people, I swear. Big people.”
Lex chuckled, setting his laptop to the side and crossing his legs so that he could sit up to eat. “He really does. I was thinking that the other day.”
Chloe chuckled and started in on the brazed salmon. “This is some of the best fish I’ve ever had in my life. How do you get good seafood in the Midwest?”
“Have I never had you over for dinner? It seems like you must have eaten here before.” Lex frowned, cutting up his food.
“We’ve eaten takeout together. I spent a lot of time here when we were working to put away your father, but it wasn’t actually ‘relax and get friendly over a nice meal’ sort of time. More, ‘you and I are both going to die if we don’t take down the bastard’ time.” Chloe began to eat the meal, looking over to Lex surreptitiously every few moments.
He took a tentative bite. “Are you trying to make sure I eat? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I uh…” In the midst of crunch time, maybe a half-lie would work. “Well, you’ve been sick. I don’t know what to do if you get sick.”
“There’s a barf bucket beside the bed,” Lex said dryly. “I can reach it. Besides, at this time of day, it’s not really… I feel all right. Don’t worry about that.”
He pointed to a panel beside the dresser. “If I actually become ill, you know faint or start puking blood, which won’t happen, you can press that button and Toby or another doctor will be in here within ten minutes. Even failing that, someone will come in, probably, in about five minutes to check on me. We’ve been peeked in on seven times since you got here. A babysitter is really quite unnecessary. I wasn’t being intractable earlier. It’s simply true.”
Chloe shrugged and poked her broccoli. “Lana asked me to. It was the only way to get Clark out of here for a few hours. He’s probably bugging you to death by now.”
“Not… not really, but I think for his sake, maybe it was for the best,” Lex agreed. After a moment, he said quietly, “You’re a very good friend to him, Chloe.”
“Um… I do what I can to make him happy.” She waved him off, curling her legs underneath her body and studying Lex uneasily.
“Well, considering what’s been going between us lately, I think that coming here is more than generous on your part. I never had the opportunity to thank you for your technological assistance with the stack of reports I sent home to Clark,” Lex said in a very professional tone.
“Well, he asked. It’s not like… I want things to blow up and people to die. Were any of the ones I flagged going all Enron with your funding or screwing with the wrong research?”
“Hm.” Lex appeared amused. “In fact, all of the ones you flagged had something going on. Not all of them were… misappropriating funds, but some were operating out of our standard research practices, and your instincts in that regard were fairly accurate. We’re in your debt.”
“Glad to be of service.” She set her plate back on the tray and watched him pick at his food. She frowned slightly, wondering if the baby was getting enough nourishment, and if it would just draw whatever it needed from Lex if he didn’t eat. She shivered at the thought. Pregnancy was so weird. His face looked pretty thin. She frowned slightly and played with her toes. “When I had the flu last winter, I kinda pecked and took smaller bites. Maybe that could… what?”
Lex looked up narrowing his eyes to slits. She raised her brows.
“What?” she asked again more forcefully.
“You feel sorry for me. That’s why you’re doing this. I’d have never pegged that of you.”
“Partially. Partially, I’m curious,” Chloe said honestly, though observing a pregnant man in his natural habitat hadn’t been on the top of her to-do list. She could research his condition better outside of his room. “Partially, Lana asked me, like I said. It’s really only a third pity, tops.”
His brows lowered further. He set the plate back on the tray. “I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’d be interested in putting your computer skills to good use. For me, that is.”
He began moving slowly to the edge of the bed. She cocked her brows and watched him inch by inch for several moments before getting up and going to his side. “Bathroom. I’ll make it. No worries.”
“Well, I’m here. I’m not Clark and I can’t carry you, but you can lean on me at least. Were you just offering me a job? Really? Me? Aren’t I a bit of a pain in your ass to be working for you? I’d have thought in your condition you’d want less stress from your employees.” She offered an arm. Lex’s eyes flitted towards the bathroom door then back to her, and he took the arm with a sigh. It must suck to have to pee all the time when you’re too weak to get up and do it.
“You are,” Lex said flatly, using her to keep himself steady. They made it over to the bathroom door, and Lex leaned against it. “But -let’s just cut through the suspiciousness and lies here- you’re good. Your instincts are uncanny, and about 75% of the time, your skills and intuition line up to the right answer, when you stick to the facts and don’t speculate baselessly.”
He held up his finger and slipped into the bathroom. Chloe couldn’t help the smile that was creeping up her lips. She covered it with her hand and waited for Lex to finish.
“I apologize,” he said politely when he returned.
“No problem.” She offered her arm again. “Between you, Lana, and Clark, you are the least annoying when you’re sick.”
“That’s surprising to hear,” Lex muttered. Together they headed towards the bed, but Lex motioned with his head to the window seat, so Chloe walked with him over there.
“My horror stories: let me tell you them. Not that Clark gets sick that often, but when he does, good god. You really are on the lower end of jerky when put on a scale with them. And Lois.” She shook her head and sighed. “You know I wouldn’t flatter you just to be nice.”
Lex lifted himself up into the window and curled his legs to his chest, like he had before when she’d seen him talking to the baby. “You should demand more gratitude from your friends.”
“Lex, if I’m going to take a job from you, I need to know who I’m working for,” Chloe told him honestly, climbing up into the other side of the seat. “I’ve been seeing some not so great stuff coming out of LuthorCorp lately, and the company has been under your control for almost a year and a half, so it isn’t all your dad’s leftovers. Plus, almost everything is silenced the second it happens. Doubleplusungood, Lex.”
She raised her hands. “What gives?”
Lex frowned and looked over her, from the pigtails to worn jeans to toe socks. “Has Clark discussed anything with you?”
“Not really. I mean, I got that Milton Fine abducted you, but other than that, Clark’s been quiet as a mouse. A mouse who looks guilty when I bring it up, but that’s how Clark always is. He can’t cover, not that I should talk.”
“What’s your best guess as to ‘what gives’?” He sounded like he was testing her.
She shrugged. “I can’t piece it all together. You’ve got to have more than one agenda going on. The weapons, the cyborgs, the studies on the ship, and… even the senate race, I think, could go into some kind of defense against Milton Fine and those aliens that came at the beginning of last summer…?”
Lex gave her a single intense nod.
“So yeah, need to keep the alien invasion under wraps so no one gets happy rounding us all up as crazies who are screaming ‘aliens are coming!’ Got that. Then what’s up with the meteor freaks?” she asked bluntly. “What’s up with the tests on them?”
Lex thinned his lips. "I can’t really divulge that until I know you’re on my side and that this will not be leaked to anyone.”
“How can I decide if I’m on your side if you don’t divulge what you’re up to?” she countered.
“Interesting situations we find ourselves in, eh, Chloe?” Lex looked out the window.
Chloe sighed, seeing that sort of lost look on his face. He was so playing her sympathy. Some of it was real though. He didn’t seem to realize that she knew he was knocked-up. And he had to still be feeling pitiful. “I’ll think about it.”
She hopped out of the window and picked up his abandoned plate. “And you have to finish eating this.”
Lex rolled his eyes petulantly and took the plate, crossing his legs again and making a go of it. “It’s something that you’re even considering my offer. I thought that you’d sooner work for my father.”
“Gross. Well.” Chloe sat back down and resumed propping her feet on the bed. He had a point. Not that it was one she liked. “It would depend on what was at stake. He can be a good source of information, when he wants to be, and if it’s important enough, I can make myself stomach anything. He also brings you flowers and looks at your cleavage, which is just lovely in a Roman Catholic priest sort of way. It’s his fault I run to the bathroom for a mental freakout every time someone calls me ‘Miss Sullivan’ in the wrong tone of voice.”
“Then I have to wonder what your motivation would ever be for working for me.”
Chloe rested her head on the back of the seat and pursed her lips in contemplation.
“Do I look so pathetic?”
“Yes, but that’s not it. Well, not all of it. See, okay.” Chloe almost smiled at how he straightened up, as though he were going into some kind of ‘listening’ mode for her all-important response. “You’re anti-alien invasion, right? This is what I’m getting from your projects over the past... I’d say half-year, but it goes a bit further back than that.”
“Yes,” Lex said simply.
“And you’re anti-Milton Fine.”
“Very much so.”
“So as far as that goes, you’re pretty much on our side.” Chloe narrowed her eyes and watched his face, trying to figure him out.
“Who happens to be included in ‘our’?”
“Me. Clark. I dunno. Humanity? I sure as hell wouldn’t put it past your father to sell out the whole race to get himself a piece of the big action.”
“I am not my father,” Lex said tersely.
Chloe leaned forward in her chair, raising one hand as she gestured animatedly. “No, but you sure started to cover up scandals like he does not long after you took over. It makes a girl suspicious. It makes her wonder if she ever really knew you, and if you weren’t just using her to take down your dad.”
“Is that what your problem is? The cover up from last year’s bioscare?” Lex rolled his eyes. “You have got to be kidding. Call the government on that one, Chloe. You think they want the American public to know they’re working on biochemical warfare that could be used to control the population as much as it could be used for military purposes?”
“That’s an interesting theory there, Mulder,” Chloe said in a reverent tone. “Plausible deniability?”
“Something like that. There are prices to pay when you work with secret government contracts.” Lex bit into a baby carrot.
“I don’t know. It might be awhile before I trust you. Not like you care, or the feeling isn’t mutual.” Chloe shook her head and sighed again. “But it won’t get in my way if we have to work together for the greater good. Humanity first, then my personal issues.”
Tilting his head backward, Lex raised one eyebrow very high. “I always suspected you were evil, Chloe.”
She straightened in her chair and glared at him. “I am not evil!”
He smirked knowingly. “Oh, you definitely are. Attain your goals by any means necessary? Neutral Evil.”
Chloe opened her mouth in disbelief. “I cannot believe Lex Luthor is spouting D&D terms at me. Dork!”
She crossed her arms and looked away as though in a huff. “I’ll have you know, I have it on very good authority that I’m Chaotic Good.”
***
Lana leaned on her hand and gave a long-suffering sigh. Clark would be here soon, she hoped. She was sitting in the common room alone, preening over her outfit a few times. It was new, a chic off the shoulder blouse with a light abstract pattern and French cut jeans directly from Paris. Her credit card was almost maxed out, but Aunt Nell would probably pay the minimum balance for her. She wasn’t sure what Clark had planned on such short notice, but he’d promised her a concert. Maybe Lex had given him tickets again. And a limo. That would be nice. She deserved a good night out after all she’d been putting up with lately.
A few students were sitting around a circular table eating chocolate covered marshmallow cookies, drinking ginger ale, and playing with cards. It wasn’t poker; Lana could tell that much. Not any of the games she knew. One guy with a sharp nose had his legs curled up in his seat, and he let the girl in front of him choose five cards and lay them in front of her. Lana lifted her chin and moved closer to watch them.
“You’re a Taurus, right?” The guy sounded pretty certain. His hair was bleached blond and quite short, and his slender hands hovered over the cards. He frowned. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Nope.”
“Um, I’m getting love troubles… here.” He pointed to a card. “You might meet someone pretty soon. Now, this person has a hard time opening up to people and needs a lot of external validation, so if you decide that it’s worth it, you’ll have to be more assertive than you’re used to being. Put that Taurus stubbornness to good use.”
“Cool.” The girl looked over the cards, and the guy kept talking to her about what he was ‘getting’ from them. When he was finished talking to her, he swept the cards up into his deck and started to shuffle them.
“Next victim,” the guy sang out.
“Are you a member of this dorm?” Lana asked doubtfully. He turned his head and raised a brow at her.
“Do I look like a woman to you, princess? Have a seat. I’ll read your fortune.” He jerked his head in the direction of the seat. A few of the other students laughed and talked amongst themselves. She recognized a few from her floor, but she didn’t spend enough time there to know any of their names.
“No, thanks,” she said, coloring her breathy voice with humor. “I like my future to be a surprise.”
“I’m actually better at reading the present. Lemme guess.” He pressed a card to his forehead. “You’re waiting on someone. Your boyfriend?”
Lana’s brows shot up. “How did you know that?”
“I saw you standing over there looking irritable, like you were waiting on someone who’s late.” He began to shuffle the cards. “And you’re dressed up all fancy, so I’m guessing for a date with someone. Boyfriend, girlfriend, that’s a fifty-fifty guess. ‘Specially in Metropolis.”
“So you’re not really psychic.” Lana smiled as she sat down in the chair. “You’re just observant.”
“The power’s in the cards, baby.” He spread his pale, pink lips in a wide grin, then laid out the cards and raised his hands. “Pick one and set it down.”
Lana tensed her lips and tentatively reached forward for a card. Even the idea of magic after the events of her senior year was a little frightening. She took one and set it in front of her.
Several of the students whistled.
“What?” she asked, looking around at them.
“Major Archana on your first card.” He pointed to the card. “This is a card of knowledge. Sometimes it can symbolize your inner world. Depending on the surrounding cards, it might mean that you’re focusing in too much on your own issues, or it could just symbolize you. You’re the one that keeps things hidden, doesn’t tell secrets.”
He shrugged. “Or it could be symbolizing someone very close to you. It’s hard to tell. Maybe you have someone in your life, probably a woman, who holds all the knowledge. She’s like a walking library. If she doesn’t have the knowledge, she can get it. And she may have hidden intuitive or psychic powers. She can lead you, if you aren’t too self-involved to notice.”
Lana frowned.
“Now, take another and put it on the left. Then another to the right. Then left again, and right.”
She did so. He looked over the cards, then hovered his hands over them as he had before.
”Okay… you’re dating someone now, aren’t you? No wait, you told me that. The guy you’re dating, is he the one you want to be with?”
“Of course, he is,” Lana said hotly.
“Queen of Wands can mean a lot of things. If it’s representing a person, then she’s a bit of a drama queen, the center of attention all the time. She can’t stand not to be in the spotlight. There,” he said, pointing to the Eight of Discs. “You’re probably reorganizing your life right now, and I think you feel pretty confident about that. But the Five of Cups here is telling me that your life is going to be in flux soon, and someone is going to be acting on hidden emotion. Either you’ve got your eye on someone else, or someone else in your life is going to be acting on their hidden emotions.”
He tapped the last cards, the Four of Cups. “Someone is definitely gonna make a big reveal. Expect it.”
“There is another guy who I think is in love with me. I’ve tried to make it clear to him that we’re just friends…” Lana shrugged and sighed.
“Hm. Well, he might be letting on who he really loves soon.” He looked over the cards again and chewed on the inside of his cheek. “I’m seeing betrayal. Someone’s feeling restless in a relationship that was once shiny and new, and looking elsewhere. Someone’s going to betray someone else. Big time. Might be you. Might be someone else.”
He tapped on The High Priestess. “Find her. Listen to her and follow her lead. She may be keeping her knowledge hidden, but you really need her guidance, or… or your life is going to become a disorganized mess in a hurry. Sorry.”
He grimaced and looked to the girl on his left. She laughed at him. “That was cheerful.”
“Yeah, sounds nice,” Clark said. Lana turned her head to see him walking up to her. He was dressed in a nice, red button-up shirt and a clean pair of jeans. He raised a brow at her questioningly.
“I was having my cards read.” She hopped up. “Thanks for helping me pass the time. Um, what’s your name?”
“Kestrel. You know. A birdie. Have fun on your date, Queenie. Say, are you a Libra or a Sagittarius?”
Clark slipped his arm around Lana’s shoulders. She walked out of the building with him.
“What did he say?” Clark asked. Lana looked on in disappointment at the truck. Oh well. They could still be going someplace nice.
“Outlook good,” she chimed, walking around the side, and then climbed into the passenger seat. “So where are we going?”
“You’ll see. Have some patience.” Clark grinned over at her as he drove. Lana narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
”Alright.” She looked out the window, and they both fell into silence as he began to drive. “Are we going dancing?”
“Lana! Surprise! Surprises are fun. Yay surprises!” Clark admonished. “You’re as bad as Lex. Leave some mystery in the world.”
“How is the patient, by the way?” she asked a bit scornfully.
“I think he’s doing better. He wasn’t thrilled that I left him with Chloe.” Clark turned on his signal and waited at the light.
“Well, that’s gratitude,” she muttered. “You’ve been with him non-stop!”
“No, I mean. He said it was fine if I wanted to go somewhere, he just kept insisting he didn’t need someone to look after him. He totally does though.” His eyes bulged when someone cut him off. “I hate driving in Metropolis.”
“He’s improving, though, right? Have they… learned anything yet?” she asked, trying to sound casual as she fished for information.
“No,” Clark replied dejectedly. Lana sighed at the short answer. He pulled over.
Lana looked out the window. “Where are we?”
“Centennial Park. They’re having a concert here in the park, and I thought we could have a picnic.” Clark beamed and reached behind the seat to grab a picnic blanket.
“Oh, Clark, that’s wonderful!” Lana filled with excitement. “Just don’t tell me you’ve joined the marines.”
Clark snorted. “No! My dad is very much on the Send Clark Back to College bandwagon.”
He handed her the blanket and slipped out of the side of the truck. She hopped out the side and locked the doors. Clark met her on the other side with a huge cooler. Together they headed out over the grass.
Lana had a bit of a bounce in her step as they found their spot close to the stage. She spread out the blanket and smoothed her hands over it before sitting down. “What did you bring us?”
“I asked Romie to fix it up for us. I’m learning to cook, but I’m not great,” Clark admitted. He began to pull out some containers. “We’ve got potato salad, deviled eggs, sandwiches, pickles, some canapés-“
“Really?” She pulled her legs to the side and leaned over to take a canapé. “Is that caviar?”
The two of them settled into the lush picnic and moments later the band began to play.
“This is amazing.”
Clark shrugged and checked his cell phone. “Glad you like it.”
“Are you checking your messages?” Lana asked in an offended tone.
“Sorry. I know Chloe will call me if anything happens. It’s just hard to keep my mind off of it when it hasn’t been resolved. I mean-” Clark speared some potato salad. “Usually there’s something I can do, but with this I can’t do anything to help. Other than call his doctor or bring him blankets or a heating pad. Which Lex says is helping, but I still feel useless.”
He chewed his food moodily. “It’s as bad as when my dad was sick. Lex is just as stubborn.”
Lana flattened out her mouth. This was her time, and he was still thinking about Lex. She sighed. “Clark, he’s going to be just fine.”
Clark didn’t look comforted. She toyed with her fork. “So who’s playing?”
“Um, a local band. Chloe said they’re pretty good. You think?” He looked over his shoulder at the stage.
Lana smiled and began to tell Clark all about her classes, the new people she’d met and the fun she was having at college.
“-and do you think you would take that from a grad student? I mean, he’s not even a real teacher. We got him on evaluations though. You’ll have to start from the beginning in first year composition.” She smiled. “But I’ll help you out. Just don’t take Jack Anderson. The guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“Yeah, I’ll be careful,” Clark answered absently.
“It’s been great being able to talk to you, alone, Clark. I’ve missed you.” She saw the pre-occupied expression on his face. “Are you worried about Lex again?”
“No, I was thinking about what this summer is going to be like. I’m signed up for classes already. Mostly core stuff.”
“Well, if you ever need any help,” Lana offered with a smile. “I’m proud of you, going back like this.”
“Have you decided on your major yet?”
“I’m narrowing it down.”
”Is astronomy still on the list?”
She grimaced. “No, the math is too hard. I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish the coursework.”
Clark looked down at his big hands. “Maybe you could help me with the lit, and I could help you with the math. Like old times?”
“Remember how we used to study for history tests at The Talon? We had some fun back in high school, didn’t we?” she murmured nostalgically.
“Yeah, maybe now that I’m in college I can get a decent history class. I learned more about history listening to Lex pontificate about human nature than I did in our boring classes.”
She took a napkin and wiped her mouth daintily. “I can’t wait until you’re in Metropolis full time. This separation has been so hard.”
“Yeah.” Clark sighed. Lana curled up to his side and watched the band play. Their sound was typical, a cross of alternative rock sounds. One of the players had a harmonica.
“This is perfect,” she said, rubbing her hand up and down Clark’s arm. “After this, do you want to come back to my dorm?”
“Um, I should… I have to go… lay tarps tonight. Oh! And make sure Chloe gets back, geez. How did I forget Chloe? I’m a bad friend.”
Clark’s phone rang, and he dropped her to jerk up and answer it. Lana felt her entire face tighten with rage.
“Is he okay, Chloe?” Clark asked the moment he hit the button. Then he laughed. “It’s going pretty good, Lex! Remind me to thank Romie for cooking for us… No, really, do you feel okay?”
Lana held her arms and turned away from Clark as he ignored her to chat with Lex. After a few minutes, he closed his phone, grinning like a happy schoolboy.
“How could you just do that?” she demanded. Clark turned to her in confusion.
“Do what?”
“Take me back to my dorm, Clark.” Lana stood and stormed to the truck. A few minutes later, Clark came running after her with his blanket and the cooler.
“What? What did I do? Lana!”
She turned on her heels. “The moment he calls, you drop everything to talk to him. I haven’t been able to get a hold of you all week! I had to get Chloe to drag you on this date, and you’ve barely said anything-“
“Well, when I talk about what’s going on in my life you blow it off like it’s not important!” Clark argued back. “I don’t get it. You’re mad because I’m worried about my friend? That’s crazy!”
“Are you serious?” Lana hissed. “I’m mad because you can’t spend ten minutes with me. Really with me!”
“I just… spent like… an hour with you!”
Lana turned, crossed her arms, and huffed as she walked to the car. Clark groaned and threw the blanket and cooler in the back.
“Unlock the car, Clark.”
“I’m doing it, I’m doing it,” Clark grumbled. He hit the auto-locks.
Lana got up into the car and focused her gaze out the window, fuming while she waited for Clark to formulate his thoughts enough to give her a proper apology for ruining their date. She was surprised when the car jerked to a stop in front of her dorm, and he’d still said nothing. She looked to him, and he continued to stare forward. “Clark?”
Clark turned his head and frowned at her with a pouty, belligerent expression. A car behind them honked.
“Well?” Clark looked pointedly at the door. Lana flared her nostrils and stomped out of the car and into her dorm.
Clark pulled out his phone and called Lex.
”Hush, Chloe.” Lex’s voice sounded velvety smooth and vibrant, and Clark could hear Chloe’s giggling in the background. “Hi, Clark? How’s the date?”
“It’s over. I’m on my way home.”
“Oh. Sorry… He said their date is over already. Talk to me, Clark. What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about Lana right now. Tell me what you and Chloe find so funny.” Clark turned the wheel with one hand and headed towards the bridge onto the highway.
“That would require an internet connection or a D&D resource guide to explain.”
”A… what?”
“Okay, Clark, answer this,” Chloe said, probably leaning up to the cell phone.
“Are you guys in bed together?” Clark asked suspiciously.
“It’s entirely platonic, I assure you,” Lex replied with a laugh.
“He bribed me with a cookie. Anyway. Clark!” Chloe insisted. “Family elders are expressing disapproval of you to the rest of the family. What do you do? I’ll read the options.”
“Why am I doing this?” Clark asked doubtfully. He pulled onto the highway. This would be one of his more interesting drives from Metropolis for certain.
“We have to find out if you’re evil or not. Just answer the questions,” Chloe ordered, then she began to list off the possible responses for Clark to choose from. Clark sighed and played along.
“Are we talking my bio-parents, or my real parents?”
Series/WIP: Sequel to So Much Dreaming
Pairing: Clex!
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After being abducted by aliens and discovering that Jonathan Kent is alive, Lex must come to grips with his shifting relationship with Clark and an unexpected pregnancy.
Spoilers: Through S5, after Cyborg.
Warnings: MPREG!!
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Clark visited Lex daily. The forced bed rest was almost worth it to see Clark’s grinning face every day when he woke from a nap. Of course, having so little to distract him while Clark visited so attentively, Lex found himself a little uncomfortable at times. He was glad for the thick blankets.
Lex sat propped up by pillows in the bed that had once been reserved for Clark, a fact that struck him as a bit odd. Back in the day, before his asshole father had given Clark the key to his room and thus all of his secrets, Lex had slept in this bed a few times when he knew Clark had been there recently. He’d noticed how good Clark smelled even then. It had felt good to be close to Clark in his small ways. He had never believed his obsession with Clark would ever truly bear fruit. He wasn’t confident that it would now.
As Clark wasn’t around at the moment, Lex tried to relax and rang for Domovoi to bring his laptop and cell phone. The graying man frowned as he brought it, but, taking his cue from Lex’s expression, kept his opinion to himself.
By the time Clark returned, Lex was deep into a phone conference, touching base with a few of the more delicate projects, while simultaneously reading a report on his laptop and popping off emails. Clark stood there for a moment, dumbstruck at what he was seeing. He stepped forward, plucked the phone from Lex’s hand, and turned it off.
“What the hell are you doing?” Lex demanded.
“You collapsed a few days ago. Are you trying to kill yourself?”
Lex sighed impatiently. “I’m trying to keep a business running, Clark. I’ve been out far too long already with the abduction-“
“Yeah, cause that was totally your fault,” Clark said sarcastically, pacing around the bed.
“Whether it was or not doesn’t matter. My absence makes the company vulnerable.” Lex held out his hand. “Give me my cell back.”
“No! Toby said you were under too much stress. No business calls!”
“Believe me, Clark, this situation right here is not lowering my stress levels.” Lex shifted himself irritably in the bed.
“I know it sucks, but you have to rest.”
”I’m off my feet. Rest doesn’t mean vegetate!” Lex exploded in exasperation. Dream of Olwen began to play on his phone. Lex reached out. “Give it.”
Clark shook his head, and Lex glared at him and crossed his arms irritably. Clark almost laughed at the image of Lex pouting because he wasn’t allowed to work of all things. He answered the phone, raising his brows and speaking in satisfied tone. “Lex isn’t able to come to the phone right now.”
Clark started in surprise when he heard a wounded sound on the end of the phone.
“Dios mio! Is he worse? I thought he was getting better!” The woman’s voice was low and strained, as though she were trying not to cry.
“Uh, no…”
“What happened?! God, is the b- is he…” she trailed off in a tear choked voice.
Clark found himself shaking his head unconsciously. “No, no! I mean he’s not worse. I was just trying to keep him from working from his sickbed. Who is this?”
“Mother fucker! Jesus, you made my heart stop!”
“Uh, sorry.” Clark looked guiltily at Lex, who was still frowning at him and now asking him with his eyes what the hell was going on.
“Give him the phone,” she ordered. Clark obeyed without thinking. Lex took the phone and narrowed his eyes tetchily at Clark.
“Hello? Lena!” Lex’s face immediately brightened. “No, I feel a lot better. Well, I was just worn down… Dr. Tanaka says everything is fine, but I need to work in a little more downtime. I’m not sure how I’m going to manage it actually, but Clark seems committed enough to my invalid status for the both of us.”
Clark wasn’t sure how to respond when the conversation went on for more than a minute. Who the hell was Lena? She was obviously close enough to Lex that she worried about him. Lex had never sounded that pleased when he was on the phone with Helen or any of the other women who had breezed in and out of Lex’s life. Sometimes he didn’t even sound that happy when Clark called, although Clark had to admit that he and Lex didn’t speak on the phone that much. Maybe he was missing something by not calling.
Eventually, Lex motioned for Clark to take a seat. “I’m being rude. Can I call you back…? Oh, good. I’ll stop wasting your time then.” Lex laughed at whatever her response was. “When are you off? Fine, I’ll call… I would love a visit. Now that I’m conscious more I get very bored… Take care of yourself, Lena… Aha ha, bye.”
“Uh. Wow,” Clark grumbled. It had been really hard not to listen in on Lex’s conversation.
“Sorry about that. I dropped off the face of the planet for a while, and she got worried. Well, technically, she was worried to begin with. My absence must have made it quite a bit worse.”
“I uh…” Clark looked at him as if hoping Lex would be in the mood to explain who he’d been chatting so warmly with.
Lex’s lips were ever so slightly curved as he slowly tapped the scroll space on his laptop. “How are things going, Clark? Got you applications in yet?”
“Um. No.”
“Maybe you should bring that over. You fill those out while I work. We can call a quitting time and make sure your responsibilities get taken care of and I knock it off before I wear myself out?” Lex suggested. Then he yawned widely.
“Looks like you’re halfway there already.”
“I’m not,” Lex protested. He leaned his head back against the pillows. He grimaced. “Besides, Romie is going to try to feed me pretty soon.”
“Poor baby.”
Lex stuck his tongue out at Clark, who laughed. “I’m not used to idleness.”
“I can tell.” Clark reached out to take his laptop. Lex glowered at him, and Clark paused, his hand halfway there.
“I’m attempting to explain via email to the very important person who you cut off on the phone why I hung up on him.”
“Lex, I’m sorry about that, but really, you’ve got to slow down. I’m worried about you.”
Lex simply sighed. He finished typing, closed his laptop, and looked up a Clark in askance. “I know, and I know.”
Clark scooted closer and bit his lip, looking at Lex intensely.
“I’m not going to stop working. Not entirely. I can’t.” Lex furrowed his brow a little in thought. How was he going to work this? He could delegate quite a bit to Mercy. He trusted that she could handle things, particularly after he had disappeared without warning, and she had seamlessly taken charge. Nevertheless, he would have to have some sort of presence for the company, expanding figure or no.
“Does your stomach hurt?” Clark asked suddenly.
Lex realized he had been rubbing his stomach as he was thinking.
“No… well, it’s a dull ache. Not really as sore as I was before,” he answered honestly. Although if he moved around too much, he certainly felt it. Tanaka said the ligaments inside him were stretching and becoming more flexible.
Clark stood and walked over to the dresser where Toby had left several pieces of equipment. He picked up the heating pad and began to set it up.
“You don’t have to do that, Clark…”
“Hush. One of the few things I can help with, remember?” Clark pulled back the covers just enough to have access to Lex’s midsection and laid the pad over it carefully. “Let me turn up the heat.”
“Not too high,” Lex warned softly. He was a little afraid that too much heat would end up cooking the fetus. Clark handed him the control. “Oh, well that’s handy.”
Clark looked up at him, his green eyes roaming over Lex’s resting body. Lex couldn’t quite define the expression on his friend’s face, but once he set the control down, his hand drifted over to Clark’s shoulder and caressed it lightly. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your company. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t gotten the doctor to come quickly.”
“I think you’d be fine without my help. You’ve survived this year so far without me.” Clark walked back over to his seat, but sat on the side of the bed instead, curling a leg underneath him.
Lex shrugged. “Define ‘survived.’”
Clark smiled a little and leaned forward. Lex became unbored very quickly and pulled up the covers over the heating pad.
***
It is a frog on the dissection table.
Its belly is split open. Its organs exposed. It can’t move, and the man with the cheekbones hovers over it moving his hands around its insides. Violating it. Changing it.
The specimen tries to yell at the man, but its words are caught at the back of its throat. The man smiles slightly, as though he knows what is being screamed silently at him, and it is amusing rather than frightening or disturbing.
His little specimen is unhappy.
It takes short little panicked breaths. The man watches its lungs moving quickly. The man leans over to his specimen, looking into its steely blue eyes, sliding a finger slick from the creature’s juices along its jaw. The man kisses it, forcing his tongue into its mouth. He can feel it tensing. It cannot move, but he can see terror and helplessness in its eyes. The man straightens and looks down at the vivisection. It is beginning to close at the edges. He frowns and makes another slice at the collarbone and the pelvis.
The man with the cheekbones cannot let the specimen heal.
Lex woke with a high-pitched cry and struggled against the blankets holding him down. Arms came up to hold him, and he flailed, trying to keep them off, keep probing unfamiliar hands and touches far away from him. Suddenly his body lurched, and a strong hand grasped his shoulder and leaned him to the side of the bed over a medical receptacle.
He expelled the contents of his stomach into the receptacle, his insides violently spasming from a sudden urge to force everything foreign inside of him out out out. Even when everything was gone, he continued to gag until the strong hands began rubbing his back soothingly. He arched away from them and almost fell out of the bed before he realized where he was.
Lex felt tears in his eyes, and his throat felt raw. Clark was in the bed with him, holding his large hands up as though he didn’t know what to do with them.
“It’s me, Lex. You’re safe. Okay? Are you alright?” Clark asked very softly. Martha Kent stood beside the bed, her eyes wet with tears and a hand over her mouth. Her husband held her supportively. Lex turned his head and saw Toby wiping his palms on threadbare jeans, waiting to see if he would throw up again. Lex wiped his mouth and tried to regain his composure. He realized he was perched precariously on the side of the bed.
“Just a…” His voice sounded alien to him, as though coming from someone else. “A dream.”
“A nightmare,” Clark corrected. He seemed as though he wanted to ask what it had been about. Lex felt himself shaking and began moving himself away from the edge. Clark tried to help him, but Lex instinctively recoiled so hard that Clark leapt up from the bed to give him some space.
“Everyone has nightmares,” Lex whispered. He felt like he couldn’t catch his breath with everyone staring at him. With one hand curled around his middle, he inched over to the center of the bed, drew his knees up to his chest, and tried to take a few deep breaths.
After a dozen or so, his heart had begun to beat a little more normally. He rested his forehead on his knees.
“There you go, man, no problem.” Toby offered him a bottle of water, and Lex took it, sipping gingerly. His stomach still felt tight and funny. Toby moved forward to check his pulse, and Lex shook his head quickly. “Got to, man. You know why.”
“Just give me a minute.”
Toby leaned back against the dresser and waited until Lex had drunk most of the water. The room was dead silent, and Clark’s eyes never left him.
“I’m fine, Clark. It was a dream,” Lex said, although he doubted he sounded very convincing. He nodded to Toby and braced himself for the touch. Toby was brisk with his examination, and Lex practiced some well-earned skills in departmentalization and simply pretended that Toby wasn’t there. “Hey. Breathe, Clark.”
He ignored the fingers probing his stomach and reached out for Clark’s hand. “I’m sorry if I frightened you.”
“No, Lex.” Clark squeezed Lex’s offered fingers, but didn’t move any closer. “I… uh.”
Lex really wanted to find something idle to talk about. “M-mrs. Kent, how is the race this fall looking?”
“Oh. Uh… not bad. I think I’ll be getting a lot of support,” she said, seeming to pick up on what he was doing. Clark remained tightlipped and wide-eyed until his parents and Toby left.
“Lex…”
“I don’t really want to talk about it, Clark.” Lex burrowed under the covers. He actually didn’t want to be there. He was very uncomfortable and wondered if Toby would let him take a shower by himself.
“You… you were dreaming about the abduction, weren’t you?”
Lex sighed and rolled over.
“I’m sorry he hurt you. I never meant for that to happen.”
“I don’t know why you think that it had that much of anything to do with you.”
Clark made a small sigh. “You said yourself that Fine was obsessed with me. He’s gone after everyone around me.”
“I wasn’t around you at the time.”
“Well… still…”
Lex felt a tentative hand on his back. He flinched involuntarily, and the hand drew back. “It’s okay. You can…”
Immediately, Clark was back on the bed rubbing circles on Lex’s back.
“Thanks. I really didn’t mean to spook your parents,” Lex said flatly. He felt embarrassed for letting them all see him so shaken by a dream.
“Don’t worry about that. We already knew something bad happened up there in the ship.”
Lex thought about the baby. “It could have been worse.” Or could still be worse, for all I know.
Clark made a scoffing noise. “Okay. Fine, you’re brave. I get it already.”
“I’m not sure how shaking and puking has intimidated you, Clark. I’ll try to reign in my manliness.”
“Milton Fine abducted you and did experiments on you. You’re shaking like a leaf, and you let a doctor paw all over you! You let them grab on you every day and give them samples of your blood. I don’t think I could do that,” Clark admitted, sounding a little frightened.
Lex thought about that for a moment. “I think I’m just used to it.”
“But wouldn’t you avoid it if you could?”
“If I could, yes. I hardly ever see doctors if I can help it. Even when I’ve been shot. I won’t stay overnight if I can walk out of there.”
“Then why are you letting this…?”
“I have a vested interest in my health these days. For some reason.” Lex turned his head back around to Clark, who looked back with wide, sad eyes. “Don’t worry about me so much.”
“I always do. Even when we’re not friends.”
“That’s good to know,” Lex said. Clark’s strong hands on his back continued to rub, and eventually, he was able to fall back into a thankfully dreamless sleep.
***
Chloe lay on her stomach on her bed, typing on her computer and cataloging information for a potential new section on the Cyber Wall of Weird. She had put out some tentative feelers for instances of male pregnancy, not particularly expecting any serious responses.
Hoo boy, was she getting some of the most whacked out feedback she’d ever seen! Demon possession, crazy scientists, mutations, seahorses, wish granting demigods or spirits, alien anal probes, magic… Chloe was having a hard time figuring out where the fantasy ended and the real weird began. So she had simply begun to enter all of her information into a database and would try to verify as much of it as possible. The cases involving aliens were clearly of the most interest to her, but a few emails that claimed there were doctors out there working on male pregnancies for various reasons were interesting as well, if true.
“Huh.” She opened up an email titled ‘Genesis Industries’ from a fellow ‘truth-seeker’ who had responded to the general call on her website. She knew that Genesis Industries advertised as specializing in fertility research, which, she speculated, was one of the reasons Lex had hired Tanaka.
u asked for rl mpreg + i dated a guy who used to work 4 Genesis Industries back when it started up about 10-15 yrs ago. ish. hard 2 say how long. anyway my ex bf said back then that the head doctor and geneticist were working on an extra project that involved getting men pregnant. generally like anyone without a womb but a man specifically. u might look into that.
“I might. Since Lex’s doctor is part of that group now,” she muttered to herself, biting her thumbnail. She emailed the person back.
Do you have any names of the doctors in charge? Was a Tanaka Tomiko one of them? I know she’s high in the ranking right now.
“Send,” she announced to no one. She began filling in the information she had so far from that case. Another email popped up in her inbox. “That was fast.”
Tanaka was 1 of the geneticists. she’s not really medical, thou this was about 15 some yrs ago so maybe she’s expanded her skills? the head doc was Red-something. the mpreg stuff was his project + she was all about working w/dna and stuff. she was always kinda creepy.
“Hm. Interesting, but kind of a tangent,” Chloe mused. She began to type out a new message.
Lana opened the door abruptly and stormed over to her bed, throwing her backpack onto it. Chloe quickly collected her papers and clippings on male pregnancy and shoved them inside a book, then shut her laptop. Lana sighed dramatically and dropped onto Chloe’s bed.
“Bad day?” Chloe asked casually.
“Chloe, I just don’t know what’s going on with Clark lately. It’s like he just doesn’t want to be around me. Has he said anything to you?” Lana looked at her expectantly. Chloe was pretty relieved. She had been afraid Lana would directly ask her about her research on Lex, and a face off or two with the man himself had told her that she wasn’t a great liar.
“He hasn’t said anything about you, but I know he’s just been spending a lot of time with Lex.” Chloe rolled over onto her side. “Apparently he’s stubborn as hell because Clark’s called to complain how hard it is to keep Lex from working. He’s just trying to be a better friend. I bet if Lex keeps improving, you’ll see more of him than you can stand, soon.”
Lana furrowed her brow and began to pull her hair back into a bun. “I guess. I just wish he could spend a bit of time with me. This long distance thing has been really hard for us. He could try more. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who’s really in this relationship.”
“He’s a boy. Plus, he’s Clark. You have to be obvious. If you want more attention, Lana, you have to say ‘gimme more attention, you n00b!’” Chloe smiled a little, trying to cheer Lana out of her bad mood.
Lana turned her head back, still frowning. “Does that work for you?”
“I’ve had like… one boyfriend. Maybe one and a half, and neither called me. Sex buddies are a lot easier to deal with,” Chloe said dryly. Lana pursed her lips in disapproval. Chloe let her eyes drift over the smooth skin of Lana’s neck, then looked away.
“I could find you a boyfriend, Chloe. Or at least a date,” Lana offered, trying to sound supportive. “You don’t have to be alone all the time.”
“I’m not alone,” Chloe insisted, expressively spreading her hands. “I have Clark and Lois and you, and I still talk to Pete. Plus, I have my fellow groundlings at The Daily Planet to commiserate our measly miserable status and online buddies! I’m fine.”
“I know that Chloe, but you’ve been single for such a long time,” Lana replied with a sugary sympathetic look. “I don’t want you to have to miss out because you can’t find anyone who isn’t a jerk or a meteor freak! I wonder if Clark knows anyone. We could pry him from Lex’s bedside and go on a double date.”
“Considering Clark is blaming himself for Lex getting sick-- don’t even ask I don’t know how he decided that-- I kinda doubt that will happen until Lex is back on his feet.” Chloe sat up and waited for Lana to turn the conversation back to herself.
“We could at least try to get him out,” she pleading, tilting her head to the side and creasing the corners of her eyes.
“Maybe I could date Lex. We could have a double date around his bed,” Chloe suggested sarcastically.
Lana’s lips curved slightly. “Do you think they’d agree to that?”
“No, I’m pretty sure Lex would pat my head and give me a cookie or something.” She stood, picked up her human anatomy book, and sat at her desk. “Granted, the cookie would probably be the most expensive gourmet confection you’d ever seen, but I’d still be embarrassed. I think the best I can do is offer to baby-sit Lex while Clark gets his butt out of there to be with you for a few hours.”
“Would you?” Lana asked in a pleading tone, tilting her head and smiling.
Chloe sighed. ”I’ll ask Clark, okay?”
“Yes!” Lana gave a small pump of her fist and bounced back to her bed. She began freshening herself up to go out.
“No homework?” Chloe asked, leaning back in her chair and propping her feet on the bed. She smiled a little at her dorky rainbow colored toe-socks. They were the little secret under her shoes that made her smile during hard parts of the day.
“I’ll get to it later. I met a few people, and we’re going out for coffee.”
“See you later,” Chloe called after her when Lana left. She sighed to herself, then debated whether she should actually study science or keep up the investigation. The investigation was tempting. “Okay. One hour of science at least. Must be diligent. Must remember that I am a student.”
She pulled out a notebook to make notes and headed over to the coffeepot to get some good brew started. Her eyes drifted over to Lana’s bed, books abandoned. Accessories strewn over her dresser. She had flitted in and out of there without asking how Chloe was doing or even considering asking her to go out with her.
“Oh, Lana. I spent way too much time being in love with you,” she said to herself, smelling the aromatic coffee that began to drip slowly. The Kents had special ordered her flavored coffees for Christmas, and it was probably the best gift she’d gotten in awhile, not including explosives from her uncle and the yellow and black laptop computer Lex had gotten her for her eighteenth birthday. Funny, how that gift was now being put to use to save him. Especially since she would never be putting the details of this case into a report or the Wall of Weird, and maintenance of her files had been one of the reasons Lex had the laptop designed for her.
Chloe looked out the window and thought about Lana’s impending date with Clark. He’d find it hard to say no to Lana, even if he was very worried about Lex. As he should be, Chloe knew, but she still wasn’t going to say anything. Not yet. She picked up her cell phone and began to dial Clark’s number. “Spent too much time in love with you, too.”
***
Martha stepped out of her office, handing some files to her secretary, and walked briskly to her rented car. If nothing else, her new job as senator was giving the Kent family a much-needed second income. She had considered going for the national position, but now that Jonathan was back, she would be able to focus on her family, at least part of the time.
“Why, hello, Martha,” Lionel’s voice boomed, sounding both friendly and slightly hollow. She crossed her arms and looked back.
“Hello, Lionel.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say I thought you were avoiding me,” Lionel said as he headed down the steps with her. “Actually, I know you’re avoiding me. And I do understand. Your husband is back, and he dislikes me. It’s awkward, and I apologize.”
“Clark isn’t too fond of you either, Lionel. Not to mention his friendship with your son is heating up again, and the two of you aren’t exactly a Norman Rockwell painting,” Martha replied pointedly.
“Yes. Well.” Lionel turned his head and ran an anxious hand through his hair. “Do you know how Lex is doing? Oh, he tells me that he’s fine, of course, but that is what he always says. Whether he’s collapsing, shot, just been set on fire…”
“He’s improving,” she told Lionel with a concerned frown. Their poor relationship was keeping him from his son during his illness. She would hate to be away from Clark, when he needed her support. “The doctors still aren’t sure what’s wrong with him, but he’s looking much better, starting to get stronger. Whatever was done to him during the abduction, I’m sure Lex will be able to recover from it… I can let you know, if he gets worse.”
Lionel’s eyes went wide for a moment, and then he turned his head blinking slowly. He looked back to Martha and stroked his beard pensively. “Yes, yes. I would appreciate it. Well, at least he’s healing. Lex is quite adept at that. Do let me know, and I’ll let you go, Martha. I don’t want to keep you against your will.”
Martha sighed and watched him hurry down the steps. She followed him and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Lionel, I may not be able to give you what you want, but I promise you, you were my friend when I needed one, and you’ve helped protect me and more importantly, Clark, and I won’t neglect the favor, okay? Maybe we can’t… go out for coffee at The Talon, or whatever the kids do.” She smiled at the silliness of the idea. “But don’t think you can’t say hello. Kents don’t forget their friends.”
Lionel’s lips curved into an appreciative smile. He nodded and clasped her shoulder. “I’m very grateful to still have you in my corner.”
Returning to his car, Lionel’s smile twisted wider until he was grinning, then laughing softly to himself. ‘Bumping into’ Martha today had been well worth the trip to Topeka. He’d been slightly worried given Jonathan’s interference that his plans concerning her term in office would be cast awry. No more. She was as malleable as ever.
“Abducted, hm,” Lionel mused to himself as he nodded to his driver and slid into the backseat of his car. He would have to find out more about this abduction. By whom? And for what purpose? Investigation into this matter would surely prove interesting.
***
Lex sucked in his cheeks and looked up from his bed at Clark and Chloe dubiously. “I’m not a five year old. I don’t need someone to sit with me, Clark. If you want to go see Lana, then go see her for fucks’ sakes.”
Clark’s eyes widened at Lex’s sharp tone. “It’s not that I want to see her-“
“She’s your girlfriend,” Chloe admonished. How could he pine after her for most of his life on this planet and then suddenly not want her once he had her?! Men! “Go. Be with her. Then you can come back. Lex’s doctor is here. Tanaka’s on call. If Lex takes a turn for the worse, I will call you, okay? Immediately.”
Clark shifted his feet and sighed, looking at Lex guiltily.
“If you’re gonna look at me like that, you can just go,” Lex said irritably. Clark ignored his tone and leaned over to give him a hug. Lex made a grumbly noise and hugged him back. “Go have some fun for me. And for poor Chloe, who is apparently stuck with me.”
“Poor Chloe really has nothing more exciting than this planned for her night off. Working on a term paper and eating a pint of mocha swirl,” she pointed out.
“I can’t promise this is going to be that much more exciting. My servants have turned on me. They check in every fifteen minutes to make sure… I don’t know. That I’m not practicing fencing or doing heavy aerobics or whatever they think it is I’m going to try to do when I have difficulty walking across the room.”
Clark pulled out his cell. “He’ll try to get on his laptop and work, that’s what he’ll try to do. Just make sure he rests some, okay?”
Chloe saluted, and when Clark hesitated, she started to push him out of the room. Clark protested at first, but then Lana called his cell, and he let himself be scooted into the hall.
“Twit,” Chloe panted coming back over to the chair by Lex’s bed. She snuck a good look over his form in the bed. Of course, he wasn’t far enough along to really tell anything, but with alien abduction, who knew how fast his pregnancy would progress?
Lex gave her with a dubious frown. “Which one? Him or her?”
“Heh. Maybe both.” She toed off her shoes and put her feet on the bed.
Lex smirked at the sight of the toe-socks with smilie faces on them.
“You’ve seen my deep dark secret, Lex. No one must know about the happy feet. Now, I’m going to have to kill you,” Chloe said in complete seriousness as she pointed at him with her left big toe. Lex laughed.
“Are you? How are you going to get past Clark with that one?”
”I’ll say a meteor rock infected my brain,” she answered easily, picking up her book bag and looking for the novel that they were reading in Western Lit. She was sooo behind. Studying mpreg really ate up a girl’s time.
“Pfft. I hate to break it to you, but unless you become raven-haired by then, I don’t think that excuse is gonna fly.”
“I can buy some black hair-dye. It’s all I need for my nefarious plan.” She raised her voice in pitch and shook her head ask though her plans were irrefutable.
“But of course. I’m doomed,” Lex replied, looking over to the window restlessly. After a minute or two of dead silence, Chloe got up and fetched his laptop and cell phone.
“Don’t overdo it,” she instructed, then retook her place in the chair. Lex gave her a grateful look, and the two of them worked together in amiable silence for quite awhile before Romie came in with a cart and two trays. “Oh, wow. Is it dinner time already?”
“We’re trying to keep Lex on a steady schedule of six smaller meals a day, so his stomach can handle the food more easily. And Clark is always hungry, so it doesn’t matter when you feed him,” Romie explained. Chloe nodded with a serious frown. She’d been skimming about normal pregnancies, and that sounded about right.
“I doubt Chloe wants to know so much about my diet,” he said with a bit of warning in his voice.
“Want dinner?” Romie asked, setting a tray on the bed for Lex. “Please try, Lex.”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind dinner, but I can’t eat all of that,” Chloe said, looking at the plate designed for Clark. Or a bull elephant.
“Don’t worry about it. Just eat whatever you want, and we’ll send someone up for the rest.”
Chloe shrugged and accepted the plate, picking at the food as Romie left. “Clark eats enough for two people, I swear. Big people.”
Lex chuckled, setting his laptop to the side and crossing his legs so that he could sit up to eat. “He really does. I was thinking that the other day.”
Chloe chuckled and started in on the brazed salmon. “This is some of the best fish I’ve ever had in my life. How do you get good seafood in the Midwest?”
“Have I never had you over for dinner? It seems like you must have eaten here before.” Lex frowned, cutting up his food.
“We’ve eaten takeout together. I spent a lot of time here when we were working to put away your father, but it wasn’t actually ‘relax and get friendly over a nice meal’ sort of time. More, ‘you and I are both going to die if we don’t take down the bastard’ time.” Chloe began to eat the meal, looking over to Lex surreptitiously every few moments.
He took a tentative bite. “Are you trying to make sure I eat? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I uh…” In the midst of crunch time, maybe a half-lie would work. “Well, you’ve been sick. I don’t know what to do if you get sick.”
“There’s a barf bucket beside the bed,” Lex said dryly. “I can reach it. Besides, at this time of day, it’s not really… I feel all right. Don’t worry about that.”
He pointed to a panel beside the dresser. “If I actually become ill, you know faint or start puking blood, which won’t happen, you can press that button and Toby or another doctor will be in here within ten minutes. Even failing that, someone will come in, probably, in about five minutes to check on me. We’ve been peeked in on seven times since you got here. A babysitter is really quite unnecessary. I wasn’t being intractable earlier. It’s simply true.”
Chloe shrugged and poked her broccoli. “Lana asked me to. It was the only way to get Clark out of here for a few hours. He’s probably bugging you to death by now.”
“Not… not really, but I think for his sake, maybe it was for the best,” Lex agreed. After a moment, he said quietly, “You’re a very good friend to him, Chloe.”
“Um… I do what I can to make him happy.” She waved him off, curling her legs underneath her body and studying Lex uneasily.
“Well, considering what’s been going between us lately, I think that coming here is more than generous on your part. I never had the opportunity to thank you for your technological assistance with the stack of reports I sent home to Clark,” Lex said in a very professional tone.
“Well, he asked. It’s not like… I want things to blow up and people to die. Were any of the ones I flagged going all Enron with your funding or screwing with the wrong research?”
“Hm.” Lex appeared amused. “In fact, all of the ones you flagged had something going on. Not all of them were… misappropriating funds, but some were operating out of our standard research practices, and your instincts in that regard were fairly accurate. We’re in your debt.”
“Glad to be of service.” She set her plate back on the tray and watched him pick at his food. She frowned slightly, wondering if the baby was getting enough nourishment, and if it would just draw whatever it needed from Lex if he didn’t eat. She shivered at the thought. Pregnancy was so weird. His face looked pretty thin. She frowned slightly and played with her toes. “When I had the flu last winter, I kinda pecked and took smaller bites. Maybe that could… what?”
Lex looked up narrowing his eyes to slits. She raised her brows.
“What?” she asked again more forcefully.
“You feel sorry for me. That’s why you’re doing this. I’d have never pegged that of you.”
“Partially. Partially, I’m curious,” Chloe said honestly, though observing a pregnant man in his natural habitat hadn’t been on the top of her to-do list. She could research his condition better outside of his room. “Partially, Lana asked me, like I said. It’s really only a third pity, tops.”
His brows lowered further. He set the plate back on the tray. “I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’d be interested in putting your computer skills to good use. For me, that is.”
He began moving slowly to the edge of the bed. She cocked her brows and watched him inch by inch for several moments before getting up and going to his side. “Bathroom. I’ll make it. No worries.”
“Well, I’m here. I’m not Clark and I can’t carry you, but you can lean on me at least. Were you just offering me a job? Really? Me? Aren’t I a bit of a pain in your ass to be working for you? I’d have thought in your condition you’d want less stress from your employees.” She offered an arm. Lex’s eyes flitted towards the bathroom door then back to her, and he took the arm with a sigh. It must suck to have to pee all the time when you’re too weak to get up and do it.
“You are,” Lex said flatly, using her to keep himself steady. They made it over to the bathroom door, and Lex leaned against it. “But -let’s just cut through the suspiciousness and lies here- you’re good. Your instincts are uncanny, and about 75% of the time, your skills and intuition line up to the right answer, when you stick to the facts and don’t speculate baselessly.”
He held up his finger and slipped into the bathroom. Chloe couldn’t help the smile that was creeping up her lips. She covered it with her hand and waited for Lex to finish.
“I apologize,” he said politely when he returned.
“No problem.” She offered her arm again. “Between you, Lana, and Clark, you are the least annoying when you’re sick.”
“That’s surprising to hear,” Lex muttered. Together they headed towards the bed, but Lex motioned with his head to the window seat, so Chloe walked with him over there.
“My horror stories: let me tell you them. Not that Clark gets sick that often, but when he does, good god. You really are on the lower end of jerky when put on a scale with them. And Lois.” She shook her head and sighed. “You know I wouldn’t flatter you just to be nice.”
Lex lifted himself up into the window and curled his legs to his chest, like he had before when she’d seen him talking to the baby. “You should demand more gratitude from your friends.”
“Lex, if I’m going to take a job from you, I need to know who I’m working for,” Chloe told him honestly, climbing up into the other side of the seat. “I’ve been seeing some not so great stuff coming out of LuthorCorp lately, and the company has been under your control for almost a year and a half, so it isn’t all your dad’s leftovers. Plus, almost everything is silenced the second it happens. Doubleplusungood, Lex.”
She raised her hands. “What gives?”
Lex frowned and looked over her, from the pigtails to worn jeans to toe socks. “Has Clark discussed anything with you?”
“Not really. I mean, I got that Milton Fine abducted you, but other than that, Clark’s been quiet as a mouse. A mouse who looks guilty when I bring it up, but that’s how Clark always is. He can’t cover, not that I should talk.”
“What’s your best guess as to ‘what gives’?” He sounded like he was testing her.
She shrugged. “I can’t piece it all together. You’ve got to have more than one agenda going on. The weapons, the cyborgs, the studies on the ship, and… even the senate race, I think, could go into some kind of defense against Milton Fine and those aliens that came at the beginning of last summer…?”
Lex gave her a single intense nod.
“So yeah, need to keep the alien invasion under wraps so no one gets happy rounding us all up as crazies who are screaming ‘aliens are coming!’ Got that. Then what’s up with the meteor freaks?” she asked bluntly. “What’s up with the tests on them?”
Lex thinned his lips. "I can’t really divulge that until I know you’re on my side and that this will not be leaked to anyone.”
“How can I decide if I’m on your side if you don’t divulge what you’re up to?” she countered.
“Interesting situations we find ourselves in, eh, Chloe?” Lex looked out the window.
Chloe sighed, seeing that sort of lost look on his face. He was so playing her sympathy. Some of it was real though. He didn’t seem to realize that she knew he was knocked-up. And he had to still be feeling pitiful. “I’ll think about it.”
She hopped out of the window and picked up his abandoned plate. “And you have to finish eating this.”
Lex rolled his eyes petulantly and took the plate, crossing his legs again and making a go of it. “It’s something that you’re even considering my offer. I thought that you’d sooner work for my father.”
“Gross. Well.” Chloe sat back down and resumed propping her feet on the bed. He had a point. Not that it was one she liked. “It would depend on what was at stake. He can be a good source of information, when he wants to be, and if it’s important enough, I can make myself stomach anything. He also brings you flowers and looks at your cleavage, which is just lovely in a Roman Catholic priest sort of way. It’s his fault I run to the bathroom for a mental freakout every time someone calls me ‘Miss Sullivan’ in the wrong tone of voice.”
“Then I have to wonder what your motivation would ever be for working for me.”
Chloe rested her head on the back of the seat and pursed her lips in contemplation.
“Do I look so pathetic?”
“Yes, but that’s not it. Well, not all of it. See, okay.” Chloe almost smiled at how he straightened up, as though he were going into some kind of ‘listening’ mode for her all-important response. “You’re anti-alien invasion, right? This is what I’m getting from your projects over the past... I’d say half-year, but it goes a bit further back than that.”
“Yes,” Lex said simply.
“And you’re anti-Milton Fine.”
“Very much so.”
“So as far as that goes, you’re pretty much on our side.” Chloe narrowed her eyes and watched his face, trying to figure him out.
“Who happens to be included in ‘our’?”
“Me. Clark. I dunno. Humanity? I sure as hell wouldn’t put it past your father to sell out the whole race to get himself a piece of the big action.”
“I am not my father,” Lex said tersely.
Chloe leaned forward in her chair, raising one hand as she gestured animatedly. “No, but you sure started to cover up scandals like he does not long after you took over. It makes a girl suspicious. It makes her wonder if she ever really knew you, and if you weren’t just using her to take down your dad.”
“Is that what your problem is? The cover up from last year’s bioscare?” Lex rolled his eyes. “You have got to be kidding. Call the government on that one, Chloe. You think they want the American public to know they’re working on biochemical warfare that could be used to control the population as much as it could be used for military purposes?”
“That’s an interesting theory there, Mulder,” Chloe said in a reverent tone. “Plausible deniability?”
“Something like that. There are prices to pay when you work with secret government contracts.” Lex bit into a baby carrot.
“I don’t know. It might be awhile before I trust you. Not like you care, or the feeling isn’t mutual.” Chloe shook her head and sighed again. “But it won’t get in my way if we have to work together for the greater good. Humanity first, then my personal issues.”
Tilting his head backward, Lex raised one eyebrow very high. “I always suspected you were evil, Chloe.”
She straightened in her chair and glared at him. “I am not evil!”
He smirked knowingly. “Oh, you definitely are. Attain your goals by any means necessary? Neutral Evil.”
Chloe opened her mouth in disbelief. “I cannot believe Lex Luthor is spouting D&D terms at me. Dork!”
She crossed her arms and looked away as though in a huff. “I’ll have you know, I have it on very good authority that I’m Chaotic Good.”
***
Lana leaned on her hand and gave a long-suffering sigh. Clark would be here soon, she hoped. She was sitting in the common room alone, preening over her outfit a few times. It was new, a chic off the shoulder blouse with a light abstract pattern and French cut jeans directly from Paris. Her credit card was almost maxed out, but Aunt Nell would probably pay the minimum balance for her. She wasn’t sure what Clark had planned on such short notice, but he’d promised her a concert. Maybe Lex had given him tickets again. And a limo. That would be nice. She deserved a good night out after all she’d been putting up with lately.
A few students were sitting around a circular table eating chocolate covered marshmallow cookies, drinking ginger ale, and playing with cards. It wasn’t poker; Lana could tell that much. Not any of the games she knew. One guy with a sharp nose had his legs curled up in his seat, and he let the girl in front of him choose five cards and lay them in front of her. Lana lifted her chin and moved closer to watch them.
“You’re a Taurus, right?” The guy sounded pretty certain. His hair was bleached blond and quite short, and his slender hands hovered over the cards. He frowned. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Nope.”
“Um, I’m getting love troubles… here.” He pointed to a card. “You might meet someone pretty soon. Now, this person has a hard time opening up to people and needs a lot of external validation, so if you decide that it’s worth it, you’ll have to be more assertive than you’re used to being. Put that Taurus stubbornness to good use.”
“Cool.” The girl looked over the cards, and the guy kept talking to her about what he was ‘getting’ from them. When he was finished talking to her, he swept the cards up into his deck and started to shuffle them.
“Next victim,” the guy sang out.
“Are you a member of this dorm?” Lana asked doubtfully. He turned his head and raised a brow at her.
“Do I look like a woman to you, princess? Have a seat. I’ll read your fortune.” He jerked his head in the direction of the seat. A few of the other students laughed and talked amongst themselves. She recognized a few from her floor, but she didn’t spend enough time there to know any of their names.
“No, thanks,” she said, coloring her breathy voice with humor. “I like my future to be a surprise.”
“I’m actually better at reading the present. Lemme guess.” He pressed a card to his forehead. “You’re waiting on someone. Your boyfriend?”
Lana’s brows shot up. “How did you know that?”
“I saw you standing over there looking irritable, like you were waiting on someone who’s late.” He began to shuffle the cards. “And you’re dressed up all fancy, so I’m guessing for a date with someone. Boyfriend, girlfriend, that’s a fifty-fifty guess. ‘Specially in Metropolis.”
“So you’re not really psychic.” Lana smiled as she sat down in the chair. “You’re just observant.”
“The power’s in the cards, baby.” He spread his pale, pink lips in a wide grin, then laid out the cards and raised his hands. “Pick one and set it down.”
Lana tensed her lips and tentatively reached forward for a card. Even the idea of magic after the events of her senior year was a little frightening. She took one and set it in front of her.
Several of the students whistled.
“What?” she asked, looking around at them.
“Major Archana on your first card.” He pointed to the card. “This is a card of knowledge. Sometimes it can symbolize your inner world. Depending on the surrounding cards, it might mean that you’re focusing in too much on your own issues, or it could just symbolize you. You’re the one that keeps things hidden, doesn’t tell secrets.”
He shrugged. “Or it could be symbolizing someone very close to you. It’s hard to tell. Maybe you have someone in your life, probably a woman, who holds all the knowledge. She’s like a walking library. If she doesn’t have the knowledge, she can get it. And she may have hidden intuitive or psychic powers. She can lead you, if you aren’t too self-involved to notice.”
Lana frowned.
“Now, take another and put it on the left. Then another to the right. Then left again, and right.”
She did so. He looked over the cards, then hovered his hands over them as he had before.
”Okay… you’re dating someone now, aren’t you? No wait, you told me that. The guy you’re dating, is he the one you want to be with?”
“Of course, he is,” Lana said hotly.
“Queen of Wands can mean a lot of things. If it’s representing a person, then she’s a bit of a drama queen, the center of attention all the time. She can’t stand not to be in the spotlight. There,” he said, pointing to the Eight of Discs. “You’re probably reorganizing your life right now, and I think you feel pretty confident about that. But the Five of Cups here is telling me that your life is going to be in flux soon, and someone is going to be acting on hidden emotion. Either you’ve got your eye on someone else, or someone else in your life is going to be acting on their hidden emotions.”
He tapped the last cards, the Four of Cups. “Someone is definitely gonna make a big reveal. Expect it.”
“There is another guy who I think is in love with me. I’ve tried to make it clear to him that we’re just friends…” Lana shrugged and sighed.
“Hm. Well, he might be letting on who he really loves soon.” He looked over the cards again and chewed on the inside of his cheek. “I’m seeing betrayal. Someone’s feeling restless in a relationship that was once shiny and new, and looking elsewhere. Someone’s going to betray someone else. Big time. Might be you. Might be someone else.”
He tapped on The High Priestess. “Find her. Listen to her and follow her lead. She may be keeping her knowledge hidden, but you really need her guidance, or… or your life is going to become a disorganized mess in a hurry. Sorry.”
He grimaced and looked to the girl on his left. She laughed at him. “That was cheerful.”
“Yeah, sounds nice,” Clark said. Lana turned her head to see him walking up to her. He was dressed in a nice, red button-up shirt and a clean pair of jeans. He raised a brow at her questioningly.
“I was having my cards read.” She hopped up. “Thanks for helping me pass the time. Um, what’s your name?”
“Kestrel. You know. A birdie. Have fun on your date, Queenie. Say, are you a Libra or a Sagittarius?”
Clark slipped his arm around Lana’s shoulders. She walked out of the building with him.
“What did he say?” Clark asked. Lana looked on in disappointment at the truck. Oh well. They could still be going someplace nice.
“Outlook good,” she chimed, walking around the side, and then climbed into the passenger seat. “So where are we going?”
“You’ll see. Have some patience.” Clark grinned over at her as he drove. Lana narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
”Alright.” She looked out the window, and they both fell into silence as he began to drive. “Are we going dancing?”
“Lana! Surprise! Surprises are fun. Yay surprises!” Clark admonished. “You’re as bad as Lex. Leave some mystery in the world.”
“How is the patient, by the way?” she asked a bit scornfully.
“I think he’s doing better. He wasn’t thrilled that I left him with Chloe.” Clark turned on his signal and waited at the light.
“Well, that’s gratitude,” she muttered. “You’ve been with him non-stop!”
“No, I mean. He said it was fine if I wanted to go somewhere, he just kept insisting he didn’t need someone to look after him. He totally does though.” His eyes bulged when someone cut him off. “I hate driving in Metropolis.”
“He’s improving, though, right? Have they… learned anything yet?” she asked, trying to sound casual as she fished for information.
“No,” Clark replied dejectedly. Lana sighed at the short answer. He pulled over.
Lana looked out the window. “Where are we?”
“Centennial Park. They’re having a concert here in the park, and I thought we could have a picnic.” Clark beamed and reached behind the seat to grab a picnic blanket.
“Oh, Clark, that’s wonderful!” Lana filled with excitement. “Just don’t tell me you’ve joined the marines.”
Clark snorted. “No! My dad is very much on the Send Clark Back to College bandwagon.”
He handed her the blanket and slipped out of the side of the truck. She hopped out the side and locked the doors. Clark met her on the other side with a huge cooler. Together they headed out over the grass.
Lana had a bit of a bounce in her step as they found their spot close to the stage. She spread out the blanket and smoothed her hands over it before sitting down. “What did you bring us?”
“I asked Romie to fix it up for us. I’m learning to cook, but I’m not great,” Clark admitted. He began to pull out some containers. “We’ve got potato salad, deviled eggs, sandwiches, pickles, some canapés-“
“Really?” She pulled her legs to the side and leaned over to take a canapé. “Is that caviar?”
The two of them settled into the lush picnic and moments later the band began to play.
“This is amazing.”
Clark shrugged and checked his cell phone. “Glad you like it.”
“Are you checking your messages?” Lana asked in an offended tone.
“Sorry. I know Chloe will call me if anything happens. It’s just hard to keep my mind off of it when it hasn’t been resolved. I mean-” Clark speared some potato salad. “Usually there’s something I can do, but with this I can’t do anything to help. Other than call his doctor or bring him blankets or a heating pad. Which Lex says is helping, but I still feel useless.”
He chewed his food moodily. “It’s as bad as when my dad was sick. Lex is just as stubborn.”
Lana flattened out her mouth. This was her time, and he was still thinking about Lex. She sighed. “Clark, he’s going to be just fine.”
Clark didn’t look comforted. She toyed with her fork. “So who’s playing?”
“Um, a local band. Chloe said they’re pretty good. You think?” He looked over his shoulder at the stage.
Lana smiled and began to tell Clark all about her classes, the new people she’d met and the fun she was having at college.
“-and do you think you would take that from a grad student? I mean, he’s not even a real teacher. We got him on evaluations though. You’ll have to start from the beginning in first year composition.” She smiled. “But I’ll help you out. Just don’t take Jack Anderson. The guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“Yeah, I’ll be careful,” Clark answered absently.
“It’s been great being able to talk to you, alone, Clark. I’ve missed you.” She saw the pre-occupied expression on his face. “Are you worried about Lex again?”
“No, I was thinking about what this summer is going to be like. I’m signed up for classes already. Mostly core stuff.”
“Well, if you ever need any help,” Lana offered with a smile. “I’m proud of you, going back like this.”
“Have you decided on your major yet?”
“I’m narrowing it down.”
”Is astronomy still on the list?”
She grimaced. “No, the math is too hard. I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish the coursework.”
Clark looked down at his big hands. “Maybe you could help me with the lit, and I could help you with the math. Like old times?”
“Remember how we used to study for history tests at The Talon? We had some fun back in high school, didn’t we?” she murmured nostalgically.
“Yeah, maybe now that I’m in college I can get a decent history class. I learned more about history listening to Lex pontificate about human nature than I did in our boring classes.”
She took a napkin and wiped her mouth daintily. “I can’t wait until you’re in Metropolis full time. This separation has been so hard.”
“Yeah.” Clark sighed. Lana curled up to his side and watched the band play. Their sound was typical, a cross of alternative rock sounds. One of the players had a harmonica.
“This is perfect,” she said, rubbing her hand up and down Clark’s arm. “After this, do you want to come back to my dorm?”
“Um, I should… I have to go… lay tarps tonight. Oh! And make sure Chloe gets back, geez. How did I forget Chloe? I’m a bad friend.”
Clark’s phone rang, and he dropped her to jerk up and answer it. Lana felt her entire face tighten with rage.
“Is he okay, Chloe?” Clark asked the moment he hit the button. Then he laughed. “It’s going pretty good, Lex! Remind me to thank Romie for cooking for us… No, really, do you feel okay?”
Lana held her arms and turned away from Clark as he ignored her to chat with Lex. After a few minutes, he closed his phone, grinning like a happy schoolboy.
“How could you just do that?” she demanded. Clark turned to her in confusion.
“Do what?”
“Take me back to my dorm, Clark.” Lana stood and stormed to the truck. A few minutes later, Clark came running after her with his blanket and the cooler.
“What? What did I do? Lana!”
She turned on her heels. “The moment he calls, you drop everything to talk to him. I haven’t been able to get a hold of you all week! I had to get Chloe to drag you on this date, and you’ve barely said anything-“
“Well, when I talk about what’s going on in my life you blow it off like it’s not important!” Clark argued back. “I don’t get it. You’re mad because I’m worried about my friend? That’s crazy!”
“Are you serious?” Lana hissed. “I’m mad because you can’t spend ten minutes with me. Really with me!”
“I just… spent like… an hour with you!”
Lana turned, crossed her arms, and huffed as she walked to the car. Clark groaned and threw the blanket and cooler in the back.
“Unlock the car, Clark.”
“I’m doing it, I’m doing it,” Clark grumbled. He hit the auto-locks.
Lana got up into the car and focused her gaze out the window, fuming while she waited for Clark to formulate his thoughts enough to give her a proper apology for ruining their date. She was surprised when the car jerked to a stop in front of her dorm, and he’d still said nothing. She looked to him, and he continued to stare forward. “Clark?”
Clark turned his head and frowned at her with a pouty, belligerent expression. A car behind them honked.
“Well?” Clark looked pointedly at the door. Lana flared her nostrils and stomped out of the car and into her dorm.
Clark pulled out his phone and called Lex.
”Hush, Chloe.” Lex’s voice sounded velvety smooth and vibrant, and Clark could hear Chloe’s giggling in the background. “Hi, Clark? How’s the date?”
“It’s over. I’m on my way home.”
“Oh. Sorry… He said their date is over already. Talk to me, Clark. What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about Lana right now. Tell me what you and Chloe find so funny.” Clark turned the wheel with one hand and headed towards the bridge onto the highway.
“That would require an internet connection or a D&D resource guide to explain.”
”A… what?”
“Okay, Clark, answer this,” Chloe said, probably leaning up to the cell phone.
“Are you guys in bed together?” Clark asked suspiciously.
“It’s entirely platonic, I assure you,” Lex replied with a laugh.
“He bribed me with a cookie. Anyway. Clark!” Chloe insisted. “Family elders are expressing disapproval of you to the rest of the family. What do you do? I’ll read the options.”
“Why am I doing this?” Clark asked doubtfully. He pulled onto the highway. This would be one of his more interesting drives from Metropolis for certain.
“We have to find out if you’re evil or not. Just answer the questions,” Chloe ordered, then she began to list off the possible responses for Clark to choose from. Clark sighed and played along.
“Are we talking my bio-parents, or my real parents?”