FIC: Must Be Dreaming, Chapter 5.1
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!!
Thanks to herohunter for the fabulous beta! *kisses!*
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
This chapter got out of control, so I'll have to post it in more than one part. Sorry!
Part Five
Hearing Lex so excited on the phone made Clark laugh. Lex’s doctors had finally cleared him to go out for a few hours, provided he was with another person in case his blood pressure dropped unexpectedly.
“We could go get some ice cream?” Clark suggested. “If you think you can eat?”
“Lex Luthor will find a way,” Lex declared in a falsely arrogant tone. “I’ll get dressed!”
Clark ran upstairs to change his shirt. His cell rang again. “Hey, new plans, Lex?”
“No, Clark, it’s me,” Chloe answered in a quiet, urgent voice.
Clark paused. “What’s up?”
“There’s a mutant holding up the Metropolis Museum,” she said in a forced whisper.
“What? Are you there?”
“I’m doing my impression of a coward behind a statue of two guys homoerotically fighting,” she replied acerbically. “Is there any way that you can get here? There’s a school on fieldtrip here with all of the kids-“
“I’ll be there. Anything I should know?”
“Grab the Zorro mask. It’s broad daylight.”
Clark sighed. “Okay, I’ll-“
He was cut off by Chloe’s scream and the sound of the phone dropping. Tossing his phone on the bed, he sped to Metropolis immediately. The police were already surrounding the museum, and Clark cursed at himself for forgetting the mask. He approached the circumference of the crowd and looked through the walls of the museum.
There was a naked girl in there with long, wet ginger hair. She crouched over on her hands eyeing the guards in fright and used her serpent-like tail to hold Chloe to the side. She opened her small mouth, and Clark’s ears began to ring. It was like a high-pitched wail. The guards dropped their weapons to cover their ears.
Clark was going to have to find a way to disable the mutant without hurting her. The girl seemed to be around his age, and what struck as odd him was the fear on her face. Most meteor freaks sported rage. First things first. Clark ducked into the alleyway and shot the power lines further down the street where there were no people gathered. The power flickered out in the museum.
Now that there were no cameras or lights, Clark supersped inside, snatched the guns, and pushed the mutant and Chloe into another room where they couldn’t be seen. He stopped momentarily to free Chloe, set her inside a large vase, then turned to face the mutant.
She looked around in disorientation at the change in location and made a shrill noise in surprise. Clark moved again to take her down, but she began shrieking so loudly that he involuntarily bent over, covering his ears. Her tail whipped around and caught him by the neck. She continued to scream, motioning wildly with her hands and shaking her head.
Clark was grateful he could hold his breath much longer than normal people and didn’t need air immediately. He looked into her large, beautiful eyes which were just… impossibly blue. It was like looking into the depths of the ocean with shining silver flecks bobbing along the waves. Then her second set of eyelids blinked.
Clark recoiled. “Ew.”
If this was a mutant, it was unlike anything Clark had ever seen. With that in mind, he tried to look at her closely. Her chest had no nipples and was fairly flat, which made Clark wonder about his classification of the mutant as a girl. Just below her collarbone, a set of gills breathed in and out quickly.
“Let me go. I can get you out of here.”
Her small lips pouted, and she tilted her head awkwardly to the side. Then she squeaked.
“Just let me go. No one here will hurt you if you can get away now.”
Her second eyelids blinked rapidly, and she stared into his eyes. She wobbled her head from side to side and started to lower him. Then she suddenly dropped to the floor with a great wail.
Clark looked up from the floor to see police swarm in, pull her away from him, and force her hands into cuffs. He struggled to his feet and watched, torn between rescuing her or holding back. This was the police; he couldn’t really fight them. He saw a dart sticking out of her back. Her puckered, pearly lips moved, and foam poured out of them and her gills as she began to thrash.
“You poisoned her!” Clark accused, trying to move through the flock of police. They held their position, however, and he had to allow them to push him back.
“Hey, there, son, stay back! This thing could be dangerous!”
“”Look at her mouth!”
The policeman turned around and got on his walkie, asking for an ambulance.
“Maybe she needs to be in water?” Clark suggested.
“Heh. Looks like a mermaid doesn’t she? With that little fin on the end of the tail,” the cop commented. “Stay over here a sec. Jace is going to need a statement from you. Are you feeling okay? Did she hurt you?”
“No, I think she was trying to say something, but all I got was the shrieks.” Clark peered over the crowd. They were forcing her into a straightjacket.
“Mute, maybe. Hang on, I’ll send Lieutenant Jace over then you can be on your way.”
“Eep!”
Clark turned to see Chloe fall halfway out of the vase. “Sorry about that.”
“Hey, you can save me any time,” she said, letting him lift her out. She winced a little, and Clark gave her a quick x-ray.
“Your wrist is broken,” Clark told her. Her eyes bulged, but he wasn’t sure what she was thinking, or why she would be alarmed at him x-raying her.
“Um, thanks. Not that I don’t appreciate it, Clark, but could you um… unless it’s an emergency, let a person know that you’re looking under their clothes? Maybe not everyone’s comfortable with you seeing under there.”
Clark frowned. “You never said anything before. Why would-?”
“Fishie! Calm the hell down!” one of the policemen yelled. Clark looked over at her. Her second lids were drawn up, and she was wiggling her head all around. One of the policemen snapped his fingers in front of her face trying to get her to listen to her Miranda Rights. Finally, she turned her face to him, pursed her lips into a small “O,” and squirted him in the face with a stream of water. His colleagues laughed.
The man wiped off his face angrily and kicked her in the ribs. Chloe snapped a picture with her camera. The police turned around.
“Is that really necessary? Is the water hurting you?” Chloe demanded. “Are you secretly the Wicked Witch of the Midwest?”
The policeman started to come up to them. “Listen, girly, this is police business. You won’t be publishing any of that on your internet Facebook.”
“Actually, I was thinking of taking this one to Pauline. How often does a reporter for The Daily Planet have the luck to be right at the scene of the police brutality?”
Clark stepped closer to her. The policeman’s face soured. A short woman in her mid-thirties came over and pushed him away.
“Go finish reading her rights!” she ordered in an authoritative voice. Her tongue darted out of her mouth over coffee colored lips. Turning to the two of them she said, “I’m Lieutenant Jameka Jace. Describe to me what you witnessed, and you can leave the scene, okay, kids?”
“Including this?” Chloe asked, holding up her cell.
“I’d appreciate if that didn’t make it into the report,” she answered sharply. “Sometimes the mutants can be uncooperative suspects.”
“What’s going to happen to her?” Clark asked.
“Belle Reve, probably. There’s not much else we can do with her. Can’t keep folk like that in the regular jail cells.”
“Will she get a trial?” Chloe asked. The officer had taken out a notepad to take their story. Chloe proceeded to take out her own.
“Yep. But if the girl can’t speak, she’s in a bit of trouble, isn’t she?”
“Can you…” Clark eyed the other cop distrustfully.
“I’ll see to it that there are no unnecessary uses of force until they get her into a secure cell. After that, it’s Belle Reve, if you’re familiar.”
Clark nodded sadly. “She just didn’t seem… like she was trying to hurt people.”
“But some people were harmed. We’ll see how it turns out. Whatever happens, she’ll have court appointed representation.” She looked at Chloe’s notepad and turned to draw her fellow officers’ attention to the reporter in their midst with a loud whistle. “Hands off the suspect, you apes!”
***
There was a rapping outside the kitchen door. Martha beamed as she saw Lex waiting there, rocking on his heels and peering inside and looking quite like an eager little boy. She motioned for him to come in.
“Oh, it’s good to see you up and around,” she said, giving him an unsolicited hug. He stiffened, but only a little.
“I appreciate it.”
“Hey there, Lex,” Jonathan said as he entered the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag. “How’s it feel to rejoin the living?”
“Pretty good. The servants have been keeping an eye on me to see that I follow doctors’ orders, and with the rest, I really am improving,” Lex admitted. Martha ushered him with a little push towards a seat. He took it graciously. “Is Clark out in the field? I’d have thought he could hear my car.”
“I don’t know that Clark is here,” Martha said, walking back over to the papers she had been sorting before on the other side of the table.
“Oh?” Lex’s eyebrows rose, and he looked a little hurt. “He… just told me on the phone to come over.”
Jonathan looked to Martha and frowned. “Huh. Maybe he’s in the shower or somethin’. Lemme go check on him.”
He left the room and came back a moment later throwing up his hands. “I don’t know where that boy’s got to.”
“I can’t believe Clark would do that,” Martha said in surprise.
Lex waved it off, forcing a smile. “I’m sure something came up. He just forgot to call.”
“Still pretty rude,” Jonathan remarked. Lex pulled out his cell and called Clark’s number. The three of them looked up when they heard the ringing. Lex stood and followed Jonathan out into the living room. Jonathan bounded up the stairs and walked back into Clark’s room. He popped back out waving the cell phone. “He forgot it, wherever he went.”
“I… wonder if Chloe picked him up? You could call her,” Martha suggested.
Lex shook his head quickly. “I don’t want to bother him. He’s probably sick of me by now.”
“Oh, no, Lex, he’s not! He wouldn’t stand you up like that!” she insisted.
“I’m not suggesting he did it on purpose.” Lex took a breath and puckered his mouth thoughtfully. “If he doesn’t turn up soon, call me? Clark’s… well, you know how he is. But this is a little flaky even for him.”
“I’m awfully sorry, Lex,” she said kindly.
“No, it’s no problem. I can go home and get some work done.” He nodded to the both of them and headed toward the door. “Have a good afternoon.”
“You too, Lex.” Martha sighed and watched him go. “That poor man.”
“Clark doesn’t mean to be an airhead,” Jonathan told her.
“Oh, no, I just mean in general. He’s been kidnapped, and ill, and nothing’s stable for him right now. It must be so difficult with all these surprises popping up unexpected places.”
Outside, Lex walked slowly to his car. He was trying not to feel the blow, but this was problematic since Clark had just called him. He didn’t know whether to feel worried or slighted. He leaned on the side of his red Audi TT roadster, sliding his hands into his pockets. It wouldn’t be too long before he would need to be driving something with a backseat.
His thoughts drifted back to that bizarre and somewhat frightening dream he’d had about Lana and his struggle with the child seat. If that vision hadn’t been enough to completely convince him that he should run for senate, nothing else would have. Perhaps Martha or Jonathan could give him some pointers. If they weren’t still completely disgusted by his mutant status and alien pregnancy by then. He could see Jonathan still looking at him as though he didn’t quite know what odd thing to expect from Lex next. Honestly, Lex was wondering the same thing lately.
His cell rang, and Lex answered quickly, hoping Clark had gotten a hold of a phone somewhere. “Hello?”
“Heeey, Lexie!”
He sighed. “Hi, Lenie.”
“Don’t sound too excited now. What’s wrong?”
Lex looked over his car at the sky. There were still a few hours until dark, but even if he decided to ignore his doctors, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for him to drive to Metropolis by himself. He’d be too exhausted to do anything. “I just got the clear from my doctors to go out, and Clark stood me up.”
“Aw. That sucks, hon. Too bad we don’t have a teleporter. I’d love to do something tonight. I’m bored out of my mind.”
”Us pregnant bitches don’t have much going on, do we?”
She laughed. “Comes with the bundle, I guess.”
“Sorry I can’t relieve your boredom. I could take a chopper over, but I don’t think I’d make it considering what happened last time,” Lex explained.
“I could come there. How long is it by helicopter?”
“Half an hour. Can you still fly?” Lex knew he must sound terribly hopeful.
She laughed again. “Yes! Oh, baby. Does that mean you want me to come?”
“That would be a resounding please do!” Lex said, almost whining.
“Oh, fun. I’ve never flown before. Where do you keep that thing?”
“I can call for a car to pick you up,” Lex told her eagerly, walking around to get into his car. He gave her some instructions, ended the call, and then contacted LuthorCorp to make the arrangements. It struck him as odd as he started the car that he’d waited until he had finished on the phone to start driving. “Oh, little Luthor, you’re changing me already. I think the local authorities will appreciate it, though. I’m not sure how many cars I should try to total in one town.”
***
An hour later, Clark walked through the front door to his parents’ disapproving looks. He had been feeling rather proud of himself. That situation could have been a lot worse, if he hadn’t shown up, and he’d done it without anyone seeing him use his powers! But his parents’ expressions took the wind out of his sails immediately. His mother looked disappointed and worried, and his father just looked annoyed.
”Well?” Jonathan asked. “Where have you been?”
“Out? I haven’t been gone that long,” Clark answered, feeling a little defensive. His father had been riding him a lot lately about being responsible, and though he was mostly right, Clark was getting weary of being treated like a fifteen year old again.
Martha shook her head in disbelief. “Did you really forget about Lex? How could you call him over and then just leave?”
“Lex…” Clark thought for a moment. “Oh no!”
“Clark, son, you’re too bright to be this much of a bubblehead,” Jonathan said.
“I’m not! Chloe called, and there was an emergency in Metropolis!” Clark flung his hand towards their dusty TV set. “You can check on the news!”
“Oh, Clark, I’m sorry.” Martha got off the couch and came up to him. He stepped back.
“Don’t. The mutant at the museum grabbed Chloe while I was talking to her. I even forgot the mask she told me to bring. I know I screw up, but I’m not an idiot, Dad.”
“I didn’t mean-“ Jonathan started.
“Yeah, you did, and I know lately… God, how did Lex put it… I’ve been ‘spectacularly unimpressive.’” Clark laughed in frustration. “Because that’s how Lex would put it, but don’t sell me short, okay? I’ve really been trying to be a good friend lately.”
“He called you unimpressive?” Jonathan frowned at the oddity of the comment.
“That’s the kind of thing Lex says when someone is acting stereotypically or reactively without thought.”
“I wonder what he says about me,” Jonathan muttered.
“He doesn’t say much of anything about you. Out loud anyway. We had a running joke about you and the cows, but to be fair, I started it.”
Jonathan grinned. “You sure I didn’t start that one?”
“Well, was everyone at the museum alright?” Martha asked.
“Pretty much. A few people went to the hospital, but no one was killed. Chloe’s going to be nursing a broken wrist for several weeks, though.” Clark bit his lip. He needed to remember to ask her what the etiquette was for x-raying people. Now he was paranoid about doing it.
“Oh my. What were they after?”
“I dunno. One of the exhibits for sure, but then she got trapped in there when someone tripped the alarm, and she panicked.”
”Police get her?” Jonathan asked. Clark nodded. “Good.”
“You think Lex will be too mad at me? I could go over there and check on him.”
“I think that might be a good idea.” Martha tried to keep her voice gentle. “He seemed a little hurt that you’d forgotten him, and by now he might be getting worried.”
Clark nodded and sped upstairs to change before going to see Lex.
When he reached the castle, Domovoi told him that Lex had gone out to the new ice cream shop already. Clark felt a stab of guilt. Lex had been looking forward to going out so much; it wouldn’t have slowed him down that much to call Lex back and cancel properly. He hopped back in the truck and drove to the ice cream place. This was going to hurt, but at least Lex wouldn’t feel so abandoned that he had to take himself out just for a little ice cream.
It was a Thursday night, but Á La Mode was fairly busy. Smallville didn’t get new shops often and the building for The Beanery had been empty for years now. Clark had heard a little bit about the gourmet ice cream, but he didn’t get out much himself. He strolled past the lights and looked inside to see where Lex was sitting, expecting him to be moping in a corner - well, no, Lex never moped, precisely - but at least having that dead, expressionless look he got when he was upset, as he poked at a dessert he should be enjoying with a friend.
To his immense surprise, Lex wasn’t moping, or looking dead and expressionless, or even poking at his ice cream. He was sitting across from a very striking, if not pretty woman, and they were both laughing and enjoying themselves and large servings of gourmet ice cream immensely.
Lex was practically radiant.
Clark eyed the woman suspiciously. She was dark haired, probably part Hispanic as far as he could tell from her skin tone and facial features. Her eyes were honey brown and her mouth was naturally wide… and stretching wider from laughing at something Lex had said. Clark tried to listen in.
“Well, I guess that’s what you expect from pregnant bitches,” she said merrily. Clark wondered if she bred dogs or something and noted that her voice was rather low for a woman.
“It’s the best ice cream I’ve had in my entire life,” Lex said expressively, taking a mouthful and making a sex face and a sex noise. She put a hand over her stomach and tried to control her laughing.
“You’ve never tried fried ice cream.”
“No, and let’s keep it that way. I’d hate to lose my girlish figure.”
“Aww. I don’t think there’s any hope that you won’t.” Her tone was overly cheerful, and she reached over and rubbed his leg with a play spiteful smile.
“Mean.” He pulled out his phone and checked his messages. Her smile waned, but she didn’t look angry, more sympathetic and a little sad. She put her hand on his arm and rubbed reassuringly.
“Honey, your friend will call. You shouldn’t let yourself worry so much. It isn’t good for you.”
“Maybe.”
She scooted her stool closer to him and lifted her arm around his shoulder. “Lex, you’ve been checking that phone every five minutes. Everything is going to be fine.”
“Are you a prophet, too?” Lex asked dryly.
“No, I just think you would know if he were hurt. Didn’t you tell me you sensed it when he was shot?”
Lex took a deep breath. “Maybe I imagined it.”
She pulled him close and kissed his forehead. Lex didn’t flinch at all. Clark felt the guilt tighten because not only had he worried Lex, he was also feeling jealous of this woman for being there to comfort him. Clark pulled out his phone and dialed Lex’s number. Lex’s face lit up again at the sound of his cell, and Clark was ashamed to admit the pleasure Lex’s reaction gave him.
The woman beamed and busied herself with her ice cream so Lex could talk.
“Clark! I’m glad to hear from you.”
“Hey, Lex. Sorry, I didn’t call sooner. I got caught up in Metropolis, and my phone died.”
“In… Metropolis?”
Clark wondered what that frozen look on Lex’s face meant. “Yeah, I was helping Chloe with a story, and I thought I could get home in time.”
“Home,” Lex repeated. His voice sounded oddly hollow. He started to say something, then closed his mouth and went silent.
“You still there, Lex? I hope I didn’t worry you.”
“Uh… well, you know what it’s like when someone goes missing around here. Y-you never know what’s happened to them.” Now his voice was cracking a little, and Lex had propped his elbow on the table. He covered his eyes with his hand and sniffed.
Oh, shit. Lex had been really worried. Clark almost dropped his phone when he saw the tears running down Lex’s cheeks. He’d never seen Lex actually cry before. “But I’m okay, I promise. I’m all right. It was just a mechanical failure.”
“Did-“ Lex sounded choked. The woman had put down her ice cream and gotten even closer to him, holding him gently and laying her head on his shoulder as she waited for him to get off the phone. “Never mind. You’re safe, and that’s what matters.”
“Do you want me to come over? You sound upset,” Clark offered.
“No, I don’t want you to come over,” Lex practically snapped. Clark blinked. The woman hopped up, fetched some napkins from the counter and came back, laying them beside him unobtrusively.
“Uh, okay. I’ll see you later then… are you mad at me? I didn’t mean to-“
“No, it’s fine. Just make sure your parents know.”
“Yeah, I called them already.”
“Good. We can go out another time. I’m actually… busy right now. Heh. Believe it or not.”
“Well, have a good time. I can come with you next time.” Clark watched Lex’s face, waiting for him to recover. Other than his voice sounding a little thick, Clark wouldn’t have known Lex was crying. It made him wonder how he was supposed to believe Lex whenever he said he was okay. He might be really upset and just covering very well!
“Yeah. Goodbye, Clark.” Lex hung up and took one of the offered napkins and started to sob into it quietly. “Such a girl,” he muttered. The woman smiled widely and pulled her chair closer to him so that the view of Lex’s face was blocked for anyone looking in their direction.
“No, hon! You can’t help it. Your friend, he’s okay?”
Lex nodded. “He…” He swallowed hard and shook his head. She cupped his face and gave him another kiss on the temple.
“You don’t have to tell me now, hm? He’s all right, and that’s what matters. Come on. Let’s eat this orgasmic ice cream, and if you’re not too tired, we can watch a movie or something. Do you like noir? Or… bad scifi? Weird indie films?”
“Oh, all of the above, Lena.” Lex took another napkin and blew his nose before attempting another smile.
Clark felt horrible. He could never pry so many smiles out of Lex. Not even lately, and Lex had kind of been all over the map emotionally.
“I didn’t even know they made apple pie ice cream,” Lena said softly, dipping Lex’s spoon into the bowl. She held it up to his mouth. “Open wide.”
“If you make any reference to choo-choos…”
She bowed her head, making a dorky inward laugh. “I’m so glad Clark is missing out. Because it means I get to spend some time with you. So selfish.”
“I don’t mean to neglect you-“
”I live three hours away! It’s not your fault. We’re busy people, so I don’t expect it to be easy for us to hook up.”
Lex dried his eyes and snatched the spoon from her. “I’m glad I got to spend this evening with you, too. It’s just… so much less stressful being around someone I can be open with.”
Clark sped off. And then had to come back for the car once he was halfway home and realized he’d driven there.
“Hey,” Clark said dejectedly when he finally walked back in the front door. Martha saw the look on his face and jumped up immediately.
“Is Lex angry with you?”
“I don’t know… he was really upset. I think he was afraid that I’d been abducted or something.”
“That makes sense,” Jonathan said. “Don’t beat yourself up, Clark. You’re not responsible for the trauma he’s been through.”
“But I could have called before I left. And I just totally forgot him. He…”Clark walked over to the couch and slumped down. “He was with this woman. I mean, he was really worried, but she was… they were having a good time in spite of it. They were laughing and she was… like all over him. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend right now. I really thought he was trying to seduce Lana.”
“I get the impression he doesn’t even like her very much anymore,” Martha said bluntly. “But I didn’t know Lex had a girlfriend either. I’d understand if they wanted to keep it out of the papers, though. What I don’t understand is why she didn’t visit him when he got sick?”
“She called a bunch. He always… grins. Like crazy. I can hardly ever get Lex to smile, and she calls and he’s all beamy,” Clark grumbled.
Jonathan laughed. “That’s how it is with the girlfriend, though, isn’t it? Must not have been dating her long. I don’t remember him smiling that much around that prissy doctor he was with. Remember?”
Clark frowned a little. He didn’t know what to make of what he’d seen. Lex just… crumbling. Maybe the stress of worrying about Clark had just released all of a sudden? Or maybe it was his medication keeping him off balance. As for Lena, she didn’t seem crazy. He’d have to keep an eye on her, just in case, to make sure she wasn’t out to hurt Lex.
***
The sun was setting, and Lex walked along the grounds with Lena.
“He lied to me,” he said abruptly. She turned her head from where she was looking at the sculptures in amazement and frowned pensively.
“Clark?”
“Yes. I… it’s never bothered me that much before. I don’t know why I overreacted.” Lex slipped his hands into his pockets and gazed down in embarrassment.
“Obviously because of the hormones,” she said sensibly. “You were really worried about him, hurt that he might have forgotten about you, and then you find out he was lying and you didn’t need to have worried. I’m sure normally, you’d be able to shrug that off, but the hormones really keep you on edge.”
Lex nodded. He was going to have to control those better. He couldn’t be sobbing pitifully in front of his father.
She waited a moment before speaking again. “What did he lie about? Where he was?”
Lex nodded again and pulled one hand out to motion with as he explained. “He… said that he was in Metropolis. Which is impossible. And stupid. Fuck.” He shook his head angrily. “I called Clark on his cell phone, which he answered. He told me to come over, and when I got there, he was gone, but his cell had been left behind. When he called at the ice cream shop, he said he’d been in Metropolis when I called and he’d gotten caught up, so…”
“No, I got it. I can count… Wh-ow.” She blinked slowly, trying to decipher Clark’s actions. “Is… did he intend for you to catch him? Why would he come up with such an impossible lie?”
“No, he’s just a pathetic liar. I don’t think he’s ever come up with a good excuse.” Lex gave a dry laugh. “You know, earlier I was joking with his parents that he might be getting sick of me. Now I’m starting to think that it might be the truth.”
“I’m sure it isn’t, Lex.”
“Clark… hasn’t been the most consistent friend. I was really hoping we’d work this time.”
Lena took his hand gently. Lex looked at her seriously for a moment then she began to swing their hands together like little children. Lex smiled. Something about this was strangely nice.
“Consistent or not, you still care about him a lot. I can feel that. It radiates off of you whenever you think about him.”
“I think that’s the biggest problem, Lena. He’s…” Lex breathed in deeply. “He’s saved me. Many times. However, he’s also hurt me. Come into my home and attacked me. And now I’m going to be a father…”
“I understand, but you’re still in love with him. I’m not saying you should run to the abusive boyfriend-“
“We’ve never had a commitment. I don’t think Clark is even gay. He might be asexual.”
She bumped his hip lightly. “Be that as it may.”
“It’s so much more complicated now. I don’t even know where this fetus came from. Or if I’ll survive the birth-“
“Oh, Lex.”
“It’s a possibility, Lena. I’d be remiss to ignore it or to not wonder how I’m going to juggle this new role with my responsibilities to the company, my employees, and really, the rest of the world, and keep my father away from the baby once it’s born, let alone raise it by myself.” His forehead creased in sheer worry, and Lex rubbed his head. “And now Claaaark. Clark is back in my life, and this is what I’ve wanted since… the beginning of the year when I lost him. I feel closer to him than I ever have but... he just keeps changing his mind about what he wants from me.”
Lena let go of his hand and slid her arm around his waist so that she could hold him as they walked.
“You are the grabbiest person I’ve ever met. You weren’t this touchy when I first ran into you.” Lex sounded curious, though, not angry.
“I’m nosy, too. When I first met you, you gave off a very ‘Touch Me Not’ vibe to everyone. You’re not giving it to me right now. In fact, you’re feeling very ungrounded and need security around you.”
“So… you think I need a hug?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe.”
“We should go in now.” She took his hands in hers and pulled him a little on the way back into the castle. “Romie promised me a dinner that would knock my socks off.”
“You’re hungry again?”
“I’m always hungry lately. She’s going to make you eat, too.”
Lex shrugged. “You want to pick a movie to watch with dinner? I have a ridiculously huge DVD collection.”
“Wicked. Can we sit on the floor in our jammies?”
Lex snorted. “Why not? I think I have some women’s clothing around here somewhere.”
She whistled. “Lex Luthor the kinky!”
“I’ve had a lot of women stay over. Once upon a time. Not so much anymore.”
“How come?” she asked.
Lex gave her a sideways look as they approached the entrance of the castle. “Knocked up?”
“You haven’t been pregnant that long. Or were you chain-banging before the abduction?”
“Not… really. I stopped in the middle of last year.”
“Oh.” She slid off her jacket. Domovoi came up to them to take their coats. “Hey, Dom, could you tell Romie to get dinner started? I’m going to make sure Lex eats a proper meal.”
“That sounds like a good idea, Ms. Luciano,” he said with a smile.
“Conspirators!” Lex complained.
She turned back to Lex. “So you stopped because of the scandal?”
“No, I uh... I sort of stopped because Clark asked me to.”
Lena’s brows raised high. “He asked you to stop sleeping with women?”
Lex tilted his head slightly. “He asked me to change.”
Lena frowned and was quiet for a moment. “And start chain-banging men?”
“No.” Lex rolled his eyes. “He didn’t like the way I…”
“Behaved like every other bachelor on the planet? I admit, when I read about the earrings in the paper… that was a little… off. You’re a little off. You know that? But having casual sex isn’t all that bad in my opinion, particularly when all parties involved know the score. And you don’t seem like the spontaneous declarations of love type of guy.”
“It is that bad when you’re me. That situation was my fault. Normal people don’t ruin lives when they sleep around.”
Lena sighed and looked at him with tender eyes. “God, Lex you really believe that don’t you? Yes, they do ruin lives. They do get obsessed and hurt people, and they do take each other for granted. You’re not the only person who has to be accountable when someone gets hurt. Everyone on the planet sucks sometimes. Even you. But not just you. Do not let him make you feel like the villain of your own life! No matter how much you love him!”
Lex said nothing and continued further into the castle. “Let’s find you some jammies. You can pick the movie.”
Lena puffed her cheeks out in frustration, rolled her eyes back in her head, and began counting to herself in Spanish as she followed him. It descended into swearing.
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!!
Thanks to herohunter for the fabulous beta! *kisses!*
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
This chapter got out of control, so I'll have to post it in more than one part. Sorry!
Part Five
Hearing Lex so excited on the phone made Clark laugh. Lex’s doctors had finally cleared him to go out for a few hours, provided he was with another person in case his blood pressure dropped unexpectedly.
“We could go get some ice cream?” Clark suggested. “If you think you can eat?”
“Lex Luthor will find a way,” Lex declared in a falsely arrogant tone. “I’ll get dressed!”
Clark ran upstairs to change his shirt. His cell rang again. “Hey, new plans, Lex?”
“No, Clark, it’s me,” Chloe answered in a quiet, urgent voice.
Clark paused. “What’s up?”
“There’s a mutant holding up the Metropolis Museum,” she said in a forced whisper.
“What? Are you there?”
“I’m doing my impression of a coward behind a statue of two guys homoerotically fighting,” she replied acerbically. “Is there any way that you can get here? There’s a school on fieldtrip here with all of the kids-“
“I’ll be there. Anything I should know?”
“Grab the Zorro mask. It’s broad daylight.”
Clark sighed. “Okay, I’ll-“
He was cut off by Chloe’s scream and the sound of the phone dropping. Tossing his phone on the bed, he sped to Metropolis immediately. The police were already surrounding the museum, and Clark cursed at himself for forgetting the mask. He approached the circumference of the crowd and looked through the walls of the museum.
There was a naked girl in there with long, wet ginger hair. She crouched over on her hands eyeing the guards in fright and used her serpent-like tail to hold Chloe to the side. She opened her small mouth, and Clark’s ears began to ring. It was like a high-pitched wail. The guards dropped their weapons to cover their ears.
Clark was going to have to find a way to disable the mutant without hurting her. The girl seemed to be around his age, and what struck as odd him was the fear on her face. Most meteor freaks sported rage. First things first. Clark ducked into the alleyway and shot the power lines further down the street where there were no people gathered. The power flickered out in the museum.
Now that there were no cameras or lights, Clark supersped inside, snatched the guns, and pushed the mutant and Chloe into another room where they couldn’t be seen. He stopped momentarily to free Chloe, set her inside a large vase, then turned to face the mutant.
She looked around in disorientation at the change in location and made a shrill noise in surprise. Clark moved again to take her down, but she began shrieking so loudly that he involuntarily bent over, covering his ears. Her tail whipped around and caught him by the neck. She continued to scream, motioning wildly with her hands and shaking her head.
Clark was grateful he could hold his breath much longer than normal people and didn’t need air immediately. He looked into her large, beautiful eyes which were just… impossibly blue. It was like looking into the depths of the ocean with shining silver flecks bobbing along the waves. Then her second set of eyelids blinked.
Clark recoiled. “Ew.”
If this was a mutant, it was unlike anything Clark had ever seen. With that in mind, he tried to look at her closely. Her chest had no nipples and was fairly flat, which made Clark wonder about his classification of the mutant as a girl. Just below her collarbone, a set of gills breathed in and out quickly.
“Let me go. I can get you out of here.”
Her small lips pouted, and she tilted her head awkwardly to the side. Then she squeaked.
“Just let me go. No one here will hurt you if you can get away now.”
Her second eyelids blinked rapidly, and she stared into his eyes. She wobbled her head from side to side and started to lower him. Then she suddenly dropped to the floor with a great wail.
Clark looked up from the floor to see police swarm in, pull her away from him, and force her hands into cuffs. He struggled to his feet and watched, torn between rescuing her or holding back. This was the police; he couldn’t really fight them. He saw a dart sticking out of her back. Her puckered, pearly lips moved, and foam poured out of them and her gills as she began to thrash.
“You poisoned her!” Clark accused, trying to move through the flock of police. They held their position, however, and he had to allow them to push him back.
“Hey, there, son, stay back! This thing could be dangerous!”
“”Look at her mouth!”
The policeman turned around and got on his walkie, asking for an ambulance.
“Maybe she needs to be in water?” Clark suggested.
“Heh. Looks like a mermaid doesn’t she? With that little fin on the end of the tail,” the cop commented. “Stay over here a sec. Jace is going to need a statement from you. Are you feeling okay? Did she hurt you?”
“No, I think she was trying to say something, but all I got was the shrieks.” Clark peered over the crowd. They were forcing her into a straightjacket.
“Mute, maybe. Hang on, I’ll send Lieutenant Jace over then you can be on your way.”
“Eep!”
Clark turned to see Chloe fall halfway out of the vase. “Sorry about that.”
“Hey, you can save me any time,” she said, letting him lift her out. She winced a little, and Clark gave her a quick x-ray.
“Your wrist is broken,” Clark told her. Her eyes bulged, but he wasn’t sure what she was thinking, or why she would be alarmed at him x-raying her.
“Um, thanks. Not that I don’t appreciate it, Clark, but could you um… unless it’s an emergency, let a person know that you’re looking under their clothes? Maybe not everyone’s comfortable with you seeing under there.”
Clark frowned. “You never said anything before. Why would-?”
“Fishie! Calm the hell down!” one of the policemen yelled. Clark looked over at her. Her second lids were drawn up, and she was wiggling her head all around. One of the policemen snapped his fingers in front of her face trying to get her to listen to her Miranda Rights. Finally, she turned her face to him, pursed her lips into a small “O,” and squirted him in the face with a stream of water. His colleagues laughed.
The man wiped off his face angrily and kicked her in the ribs. Chloe snapped a picture with her camera. The police turned around.
“Is that really necessary? Is the water hurting you?” Chloe demanded. “Are you secretly the Wicked Witch of the Midwest?”
The policeman started to come up to them. “Listen, girly, this is police business. You won’t be publishing any of that on your internet Facebook.”
“Actually, I was thinking of taking this one to Pauline. How often does a reporter for The Daily Planet have the luck to be right at the scene of the police brutality?”
Clark stepped closer to her. The policeman’s face soured. A short woman in her mid-thirties came over and pushed him away.
“Go finish reading her rights!” she ordered in an authoritative voice. Her tongue darted out of her mouth over coffee colored lips. Turning to the two of them she said, “I’m Lieutenant Jameka Jace. Describe to me what you witnessed, and you can leave the scene, okay, kids?”
“Including this?” Chloe asked, holding up her cell.
“I’d appreciate if that didn’t make it into the report,” she answered sharply. “Sometimes the mutants can be uncooperative suspects.”
“What’s going to happen to her?” Clark asked.
“Belle Reve, probably. There’s not much else we can do with her. Can’t keep folk like that in the regular jail cells.”
“Will she get a trial?” Chloe asked. The officer had taken out a notepad to take their story. Chloe proceeded to take out her own.
“Yep. But if the girl can’t speak, she’s in a bit of trouble, isn’t she?”
“Can you…” Clark eyed the other cop distrustfully.
“I’ll see to it that there are no unnecessary uses of force until they get her into a secure cell. After that, it’s Belle Reve, if you’re familiar.”
Clark nodded sadly. “She just didn’t seem… like she was trying to hurt people.”
“But some people were harmed. We’ll see how it turns out. Whatever happens, she’ll have court appointed representation.” She looked at Chloe’s notepad and turned to draw her fellow officers’ attention to the reporter in their midst with a loud whistle. “Hands off the suspect, you apes!”
***
There was a rapping outside the kitchen door. Martha beamed as she saw Lex waiting there, rocking on his heels and peering inside and looking quite like an eager little boy. She motioned for him to come in.
“Oh, it’s good to see you up and around,” she said, giving him an unsolicited hug. He stiffened, but only a little.
“I appreciate it.”
“Hey there, Lex,” Jonathan said as he entered the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag. “How’s it feel to rejoin the living?”
“Pretty good. The servants have been keeping an eye on me to see that I follow doctors’ orders, and with the rest, I really am improving,” Lex admitted. Martha ushered him with a little push towards a seat. He took it graciously. “Is Clark out in the field? I’d have thought he could hear my car.”
“I don’t know that Clark is here,” Martha said, walking back over to the papers she had been sorting before on the other side of the table.
“Oh?” Lex’s eyebrows rose, and he looked a little hurt. “He… just told me on the phone to come over.”
Jonathan looked to Martha and frowned. “Huh. Maybe he’s in the shower or somethin’. Lemme go check on him.”
He left the room and came back a moment later throwing up his hands. “I don’t know where that boy’s got to.”
“I can’t believe Clark would do that,” Martha said in surprise.
Lex waved it off, forcing a smile. “I’m sure something came up. He just forgot to call.”
“Still pretty rude,” Jonathan remarked. Lex pulled out his cell and called Clark’s number. The three of them looked up when they heard the ringing. Lex stood and followed Jonathan out into the living room. Jonathan bounded up the stairs and walked back into Clark’s room. He popped back out waving the cell phone. “He forgot it, wherever he went.”
“I… wonder if Chloe picked him up? You could call her,” Martha suggested.
Lex shook his head quickly. “I don’t want to bother him. He’s probably sick of me by now.”
“Oh, no, Lex, he’s not! He wouldn’t stand you up like that!” she insisted.
“I’m not suggesting he did it on purpose.” Lex took a breath and puckered his mouth thoughtfully. “If he doesn’t turn up soon, call me? Clark’s… well, you know how he is. But this is a little flaky even for him.”
“I’m awfully sorry, Lex,” she said kindly.
“No, it’s no problem. I can go home and get some work done.” He nodded to the both of them and headed toward the door. “Have a good afternoon.”
“You too, Lex.” Martha sighed and watched him go. “That poor man.”
“Clark doesn’t mean to be an airhead,” Jonathan told her.
“Oh, no, I just mean in general. He’s been kidnapped, and ill, and nothing’s stable for him right now. It must be so difficult with all these surprises popping up unexpected places.”
Outside, Lex walked slowly to his car. He was trying not to feel the blow, but this was problematic since Clark had just called him. He didn’t know whether to feel worried or slighted. He leaned on the side of his red Audi TT roadster, sliding his hands into his pockets. It wouldn’t be too long before he would need to be driving something with a backseat.
His thoughts drifted back to that bizarre and somewhat frightening dream he’d had about Lana and his struggle with the child seat. If that vision hadn’t been enough to completely convince him that he should run for senate, nothing else would have. Perhaps Martha or Jonathan could give him some pointers. If they weren’t still completely disgusted by his mutant status and alien pregnancy by then. He could see Jonathan still looking at him as though he didn’t quite know what odd thing to expect from Lex next. Honestly, Lex was wondering the same thing lately.
His cell rang, and Lex answered quickly, hoping Clark had gotten a hold of a phone somewhere. “Hello?”
“Heeey, Lexie!”
He sighed. “Hi, Lenie.”
“Don’t sound too excited now. What’s wrong?”
Lex looked over his car at the sky. There were still a few hours until dark, but even if he decided to ignore his doctors, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for him to drive to Metropolis by himself. He’d be too exhausted to do anything. “I just got the clear from my doctors to go out, and Clark stood me up.”
“Aw. That sucks, hon. Too bad we don’t have a teleporter. I’d love to do something tonight. I’m bored out of my mind.”
”Us pregnant bitches don’t have much going on, do we?”
She laughed. “Comes with the bundle, I guess.”
“Sorry I can’t relieve your boredom. I could take a chopper over, but I don’t think I’d make it considering what happened last time,” Lex explained.
“I could come there. How long is it by helicopter?”
“Half an hour. Can you still fly?” Lex knew he must sound terribly hopeful.
She laughed again. “Yes! Oh, baby. Does that mean you want me to come?”
“That would be a resounding please do!” Lex said, almost whining.
“Oh, fun. I’ve never flown before. Where do you keep that thing?”
“I can call for a car to pick you up,” Lex told her eagerly, walking around to get into his car. He gave her some instructions, ended the call, and then contacted LuthorCorp to make the arrangements. It struck him as odd as he started the car that he’d waited until he had finished on the phone to start driving. “Oh, little Luthor, you’re changing me already. I think the local authorities will appreciate it, though. I’m not sure how many cars I should try to total in one town.”
***
An hour later, Clark walked through the front door to his parents’ disapproving looks. He had been feeling rather proud of himself. That situation could have been a lot worse, if he hadn’t shown up, and he’d done it without anyone seeing him use his powers! But his parents’ expressions took the wind out of his sails immediately. His mother looked disappointed and worried, and his father just looked annoyed.
”Well?” Jonathan asked. “Where have you been?”
“Out? I haven’t been gone that long,” Clark answered, feeling a little defensive. His father had been riding him a lot lately about being responsible, and though he was mostly right, Clark was getting weary of being treated like a fifteen year old again.
Martha shook her head in disbelief. “Did you really forget about Lex? How could you call him over and then just leave?”
“Lex…” Clark thought for a moment. “Oh no!”
“Clark, son, you’re too bright to be this much of a bubblehead,” Jonathan said.
“I’m not! Chloe called, and there was an emergency in Metropolis!” Clark flung his hand towards their dusty TV set. “You can check on the news!”
“Oh, Clark, I’m sorry.” Martha got off the couch and came up to him. He stepped back.
“Don’t. The mutant at the museum grabbed Chloe while I was talking to her. I even forgot the mask she told me to bring. I know I screw up, but I’m not an idiot, Dad.”
“I didn’t mean-“ Jonathan started.
“Yeah, you did, and I know lately… God, how did Lex put it… I’ve been ‘spectacularly unimpressive.’” Clark laughed in frustration. “Because that’s how Lex would put it, but don’t sell me short, okay? I’ve really been trying to be a good friend lately.”
“He called you unimpressive?” Jonathan frowned at the oddity of the comment.
“That’s the kind of thing Lex says when someone is acting stereotypically or reactively without thought.”
“I wonder what he says about me,” Jonathan muttered.
“He doesn’t say much of anything about you. Out loud anyway. We had a running joke about you and the cows, but to be fair, I started it.”
Jonathan grinned. “You sure I didn’t start that one?”
“Well, was everyone at the museum alright?” Martha asked.
“Pretty much. A few people went to the hospital, but no one was killed. Chloe’s going to be nursing a broken wrist for several weeks, though.” Clark bit his lip. He needed to remember to ask her what the etiquette was for x-raying people. Now he was paranoid about doing it.
“Oh my. What were they after?”
“I dunno. One of the exhibits for sure, but then she got trapped in there when someone tripped the alarm, and she panicked.”
”Police get her?” Jonathan asked. Clark nodded. “Good.”
“You think Lex will be too mad at me? I could go over there and check on him.”
“I think that might be a good idea.” Martha tried to keep her voice gentle. “He seemed a little hurt that you’d forgotten him, and by now he might be getting worried.”
Clark nodded and sped upstairs to change before going to see Lex.
When he reached the castle, Domovoi told him that Lex had gone out to the new ice cream shop already. Clark felt a stab of guilt. Lex had been looking forward to going out so much; it wouldn’t have slowed him down that much to call Lex back and cancel properly. He hopped back in the truck and drove to the ice cream place. This was going to hurt, but at least Lex wouldn’t feel so abandoned that he had to take himself out just for a little ice cream.
It was a Thursday night, but Á La Mode was fairly busy. Smallville didn’t get new shops often and the building for The Beanery had been empty for years now. Clark had heard a little bit about the gourmet ice cream, but he didn’t get out much himself. He strolled past the lights and looked inside to see where Lex was sitting, expecting him to be moping in a corner - well, no, Lex never moped, precisely - but at least having that dead, expressionless look he got when he was upset, as he poked at a dessert he should be enjoying with a friend.
To his immense surprise, Lex wasn’t moping, or looking dead and expressionless, or even poking at his ice cream. He was sitting across from a very striking, if not pretty woman, and they were both laughing and enjoying themselves and large servings of gourmet ice cream immensely.
Lex was practically radiant.
Clark eyed the woman suspiciously. She was dark haired, probably part Hispanic as far as he could tell from her skin tone and facial features. Her eyes were honey brown and her mouth was naturally wide… and stretching wider from laughing at something Lex had said. Clark tried to listen in.
“Well, I guess that’s what you expect from pregnant bitches,” she said merrily. Clark wondered if she bred dogs or something and noted that her voice was rather low for a woman.
“It’s the best ice cream I’ve had in my entire life,” Lex said expressively, taking a mouthful and making a sex face and a sex noise. She put a hand over her stomach and tried to control her laughing.
“You’ve never tried fried ice cream.”
“No, and let’s keep it that way. I’d hate to lose my girlish figure.”
“Aww. I don’t think there’s any hope that you won’t.” Her tone was overly cheerful, and she reached over and rubbed his leg with a play spiteful smile.
“Mean.” He pulled out his phone and checked his messages. Her smile waned, but she didn’t look angry, more sympathetic and a little sad. She put her hand on his arm and rubbed reassuringly.
“Honey, your friend will call. You shouldn’t let yourself worry so much. It isn’t good for you.”
“Maybe.”
She scooted her stool closer to him and lifted her arm around his shoulder. “Lex, you’ve been checking that phone every five minutes. Everything is going to be fine.”
“Are you a prophet, too?” Lex asked dryly.
“No, I just think you would know if he were hurt. Didn’t you tell me you sensed it when he was shot?”
Lex took a deep breath. “Maybe I imagined it.”
She pulled him close and kissed his forehead. Lex didn’t flinch at all. Clark felt the guilt tighten because not only had he worried Lex, he was also feeling jealous of this woman for being there to comfort him. Clark pulled out his phone and dialed Lex’s number. Lex’s face lit up again at the sound of his cell, and Clark was ashamed to admit the pleasure Lex’s reaction gave him.
The woman beamed and busied herself with her ice cream so Lex could talk.
“Clark! I’m glad to hear from you.”
“Hey, Lex. Sorry, I didn’t call sooner. I got caught up in Metropolis, and my phone died.”
“In… Metropolis?”
Clark wondered what that frozen look on Lex’s face meant. “Yeah, I was helping Chloe with a story, and I thought I could get home in time.”
“Home,” Lex repeated. His voice sounded oddly hollow. He started to say something, then closed his mouth and went silent.
“You still there, Lex? I hope I didn’t worry you.”
“Uh… well, you know what it’s like when someone goes missing around here. Y-you never know what’s happened to them.” Now his voice was cracking a little, and Lex had propped his elbow on the table. He covered his eyes with his hand and sniffed.
Oh, shit. Lex had been really worried. Clark almost dropped his phone when he saw the tears running down Lex’s cheeks. He’d never seen Lex actually cry before. “But I’m okay, I promise. I’m all right. It was just a mechanical failure.”
“Did-“ Lex sounded choked. The woman had put down her ice cream and gotten even closer to him, holding him gently and laying her head on his shoulder as she waited for him to get off the phone. “Never mind. You’re safe, and that’s what matters.”
“Do you want me to come over? You sound upset,” Clark offered.
“No, I don’t want you to come over,” Lex practically snapped. Clark blinked. The woman hopped up, fetched some napkins from the counter and came back, laying them beside him unobtrusively.
“Uh, okay. I’ll see you later then… are you mad at me? I didn’t mean to-“
“No, it’s fine. Just make sure your parents know.”
“Yeah, I called them already.”
“Good. We can go out another time. I’m actually… busy right now. Heh. Believe it or not.”
“Well, have a good time. I can come with you next time.” Clark watched Lex’s face, waiting for him to recover. Other than his voice sounding a little thick, Clark wouldn’t have known Lex was crying. It made him wonder how he was supposed to believe Lex whenever he said he was okay. He might be really upset and just covering very well!
“Yeah. Goodbye, Clark.” Lex hung up and took one of the offered napkins and started to sob into it quietly. “Such a girl,” he muttered. The woman smiled widely and pulled her chair closer to him so that the view of Lex’s face was blocked for anyone looking in their direction.
“No, hon! You can’t help it. Your friend, he’s okay?”
Lex nodded. “He…” He swallowed hard and shook his head. She cupped his face and gave him another kiss on the temple.
“You don’t have to tell me now, hm? He’s all right, and that’s what matters. Come on. Let’s eat this orgasmic ice cream, and if you’re not too tired, we can watch a movie or something. Do you like noir? Or… bad scifi? Weird indie films?”
“Oh, all of the above, Lena.” Lex took another napkin and blew his nose before attempting another smile.
Clark felt horrible. He could never pry so many smiles out of Lex. Not even lately, and Lex had kind of been all over the map emotionally.
“I didn’t even know they made apple pie ice cream,” Lena said softly, dipping Lex’s spoon into the bowl. She held it up to his mouth. “Open wide.”
“If you make any reference to choo-choos…”
She bowed her head, making a dorky inward laugh. “I’m so glad Clark is missing out. Because it means I get to spend some time with you. So selfish.”
“I don’t mean to neglect you-“
”I live three hours away! It’s not your fault. We’re busy people, so I don’t expect it to be easy for us to hook up.”
Lex dried his eyes and snatched the spoon from her. “I’m glad I got to spend this evening with you, too. It’s just… so much less stressful being around someone I can be open with.”
Clark sped off. And then had to come back for the car once he was halfway home and realized he’d driven there.
“Hey,” Clark said dejectedly when he finally walked back in the front door. Martha saw the look on his face and jumped up immediately.
“Is Lex angry with you?”
“I don’t know… he was really upset. I think he was afraid that I’d been abducted or something.”
“That makes sense,” Jonathan said. “Don’t beat yourself up, Clark. You’re not responsible for the trauma he’s been through.”
“But I could have called before I left. And I just totally forgot him. He…”Clark walked over to the couch and slumped down. “He was with this woman. I mean, he was really worried, but she was… they were having a good time in spite of it. They were laughing and she was… like all over him. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend right now. I really thought he was trying to seduce Lana.”
“I get the impression he doesn’t even like her very much anymore,” Martha said bluntly. “But I didn’t know Lex had a girlfriend either. I’d understand if they wanted to keep it out of the papers, though. What I don’t understand is why she didn’t visit him when he got sick?”
“She called a bunch. He always… grins. Like crazy. I can hardly ever get Lex to smile, and she calls and he’s all beamy,” Clark grumbled.
Jonathan laughed. “That’s how it is with the girlfriend, though, isn’t it? Must not have been dating her long. I don’t remember him smiling that much around that prissy doctor he was with. Remember?”
Clark frowned a little. He didn’t know what to make of what he’d seen. Lex just… crumbling. Maybe the stress of worrying about Clark had just released all of a sudden? Or maybe it was his medication keeping him off balance. As for Lena, she didn’t seem crazy. He’d have to keep an eye on her, just in case, to make sure she wasn’t out to hurt Lex.
***
The sun was setting, and Lex walked along the grounds with Lena.
“He lied to me,” he said abruptly. She turned her head from where she was looking at the sculptures in amazement and frowned pensively.
“Clark?”
“Yes. I… it’s never bothered me that much before. I don’t know why I overreacted.” Lex slipped his hands into his pockets and gazed down in embarrassment.
“Obviously because of the hormones,” she said sensibly. “You were really worried about him, hurt that he might have forgotten about you, and then you find out he was lying and you didn’t need to have worried. I’m sure normally, you’d be able to shrug that off, but the hormones really keep you on edge.”
Lex nodded. He was going to have to control those better. He couldn’t be sobbing pitifully in front of his father.
She waited a moment before speaking again. “What did he lie about? Where he was?”
Lex nodded again and pulled one hand out to motion with as he explained. “He… said that he was in Metropolis. Which is impossible. And stupid. Fuck.” He shook his head angrily. “I called Clark on his cell phone, which he answered. He told me to come over, and when I got there, he was gone, but his cell had been left behind. When he called at the ice cream shop, he said he’d been in Metropolis when I called and he’d gotten caught up, so…”
“No, I got it. I can count… Wh-ow.” She blinked slowly, trying to decipher Clark’s actions. “Is… did he intend for you to catch him? Why would he come up with such an impossible lie?”
“No, he’s just a pathetic liar. I don’t think he’s ever come up with a good excuse.” Lex gave a dry laugh. “You know, earlier I was joking with his parents that he might be getting sick of me. Now I’m starting to think that it might be the truth.”
“I’m sure it isn’t, Lex.”
“Clark… hasn’t been the most consistent friend. I was really hoping we’d work this time.”
Lena took his hand gently. Lex looked at her seriously for a moment then she began to swing their hands together like little children. Lex smiled. Something about this was strangely nice.
“Consistent or not, you still care about him a lot. I can feel that. It radiates off of you whenever you think about him.”
“I think that’s the biggest problem, Lena. He’s…” Lex breathed in deeply. “He’s saved me. Many times. However, he’s also hurt me. Come into my home and attacked me. And now I’m going to be a father…”
“I understand, but you’re still in love with him. I’m not saying you should run to the abusive boyfriend-“
“We’ve never had a commitment. I don’t think Clark is even gay. He might be asexual.”
She bumped his hip lightly. “Be that as it may.”
“It’s so much more complicated now. I don’t even know where this fetus came from. Or if I’ll survive the birth-“
“Oh, Lex.”
“It’s a possibility, Lena. I’d be remiss to ignore it or to not wonder how I’m going to juggle this new role with my responsibilities to the company, my employees, and really, the rest of the world, and keep my father away from the baby once it’s born, let alone raise it by myself.” His forehead creased in sheer worry, and Lex rubbed his head. “And now Claaaark. Clark is back in my life, and this is what I’ve wanted since… the beginning of the year when I lost him. I feel closer to him than I ever have but... he just keeps changing his mind about what he wants from me.”
Lena let go of his hand and slid her arm around his waist so that she could hold him as they walked.
“You are the grabbiest person I’ve ever met. You weren’t this touchy when I first ran into you.” Lex sounded curious, though, not angry.
“I’m nosy, too. When I first met you, you gave off a very ‘Touch Me Not’ vibe to everyone. You’re not giving it to me right now. In fact, you’re feeling very ungrounded and need security around you.”
“So… you think I need a hug?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe.”
“We should go in now.” She took his hands in hers and pulled him a little on the way back into the castle. “Romie promised me a dinner that would knock my socks off.”
“You’re hungry again?”
“I’m always hungry lately. She’s going to make you eat, too.”
Lex shrugged. “You want to pick a movie to watch with dinner? I have a ridiculously huge DVD collection.”
“Wicked. Can we sit on the floor in our jammies?”
Lex snorted. “Why not? I think I have some women’s clothing around here somewhere.”
She whistled. “Lex Luthor the kinky!”
“I’ve had a lot of women stay over. Once upon a time. Not so much anymore.”
“How come?” she asked.
Lex gave her a sideways look as they approached the entrance of the castle. “Knocked up?”
“You haven’t been pregnant that long. Or were you chain-banging before the abduction?”
“Not… really. I stopped in the middle of last year.”
“Oh.” She slid off her jacket. Domovoi came up to them to take their coats. “Hey, Dom, could you tell Romie to get dinner started? I’m going to make sure Lex eats a proper meal.”
“That sounds like a good idea, Ms. Luciano,” he said with a smile.
“Conspirators!” Lex complained.
She turned back to Lex. “So you stopped because of the scandal?”
“No, I uh... I sort of stopped because Clark asked me to.”
Lena’s brows raised high. “He asked you to stop sleeping with women?”
Lex tilted his head slightly. “He asked me to change.”
Lena frowned and was quiet for a moment. “And start chain-banging men?”
“No.” Lex rolled his eyes. “He didn’t like the way I…”
“Behaved like every other bachelor on the planet? I admit, when I read about the earrings in the paper… that was a little… off. You’re a little off. You know that? But having casual sex isn’t all that bad in my opinion, particularly when all parties involved know the score. And you don’t seem like the spontaneous declarations of love type of guy.”
“It is that bad when you’re me. That situation was my fault. Normal people don’t ruin lives when they sleep around.”
Lena sighed and looked at him with tender eyes. “God, Lex you really believe that don’t you? Yes, they do ruin lives. They do get obsessed and hurt people, and they do take each other for granted. You’re not the only person who has to be accountable when someone gets hurt. Everyone on the planet sucks sometimes. Even you. But not just you. Do not let him make you feel like the villain of your own life! No matter how much you love him!”
Lex said nothing and continued further into the castle. “Let’s find you some jammies. You can pick the movie.”
Lena puffed her cheeks out in frustration, rolled her eyes back in her head, and began counting to herself in Spanish as she followed him. It descended into swearing.