FIC: Must Be Dreaming
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
Chapter 5.1
Chapter 5.2
Chapter Six
Between his dreams and Mxyzptlk’s words, Lex had been extraordinarily jumpy. Clark hadn’t called in over a week, and Lex had needed to lock himself in his office once to simply sit and cry. Damn alien hormones.
Clark’s sudden scarceness around the castle told Lex that maybe whatever lure Clark had felt as a result of Lex’s illness or scent was starting to wear off. Clark would soon come to his senses and stop paying any attention to him unless he needed something. Regardless, Lex was starting to feel a bit better, a bit more capable of going about his business and getting back to the important research that could possibly save the world or his life.
The only problem was, he felt a strange ache when Clark wasn’t around, and it made him a little unstable when Clark was around because it felt as though that unrequited need would never be filled if he let Clark out of his sight. He desperately wanted to get a grip on this situation, but desiring Clark so much made it almost impossible to see clearly. Lex hated being so out of control.
The decision to visit Clark wasn’t one that Lex had made consciously, but when he realized he was headed in that direction instead of home, he decided to go with it. He had considered calling, but bearing in mind how much good that had done him last time, he skipped the step and concentrated on driving.
On a whim, he dropped by Á La Mode and picked up a couple of pints of gourmet ice cream. If nothing else, he could deliver this to the Kents as thanks for being kind to him when he’d been sick.
When he reached the farmhouse, Lex smiled involuntarily as he pulled up. At least something was stable in his life. At this hour, Mrs. Kent would probably be moving around the kitchen, starting up dinner. Mr. Kent would be either finishing up chores or spending some time with his son, and Clark, well, if he weren’t with his father, he’d be in the loft. Spying on people or puttering around. He walked slowly up to the front door and knocked lightly.
“Hang on!” Jonathan yelled. He came to the door a moment later wearing a blue apron and wiping his hands with a dishcloth. “Hey, there, Lex. C’mon in. I was just starting dinner.
“Oh?” Lex, a bit jarred, held up the bag from Á La Mode. “I come bearing chilled gourmet dessert.”
“Really? Wow. Too bad Martha’s not here. She was craving ice cream something awful before.” Jonathan took the bag. “I’ll put this in the ice box.”
Lex nodded and frowned a little. “Where did Mrs. Kent go?”
“She had to head out to deal with a ‘situation.’” Jonathan called from the kitchen. He came back quickly and continued in a hushed voice, “Her chief of staff was murdered.”
Lex raised his brows in surprise. “Really?”
Jonathan shook his head and licked over his lips. “The craziest thing. She was standing in front of a mirror, and it shattered into her. Shards went straight into Naomi’s body. Now, the police are saying ‘accidental death,’ but…”
“But a mirror shattered into her.” Lex rolled his eyes to the ceiling, thinking. “I can’t think of anyone who had a power specifically like that, but it could always be a telekinetic. They’re rare, though.”
Jonathan nodded. “So, Martha’s out taking care of it. So us boys are stuck at home. Want to stay for dinner?”
“If it’s not trouble for you. Do you want me to get someone on this case?”
“Ahhh…” Jonathan shrugged. “We’ll have to talk with Clark about it. At this point, I dunno the history on it or anything.”
“You’d think I’d remember if anything like that had happened… maybe I filed it under something else. Or maybe this is a new meta.”
“Meta?”
Lex shook his head to remind himself that this was new lingo for most people. “Sorry. Meta-human. It’s the PC term for ‘meteor freak.’ Well, not just meteor mutants, but other types of humans with powers.”
“Oh. Well, I’d hate to be insensitive; meta it is then. Clark’s at the dining room table.”
Lex nodded. “I could help you with dinner.”
“Nah, I gotta learn. I’ll let you boys know if I get stuck.”
Lex headed into the dining room and raised his brows yet again. Clark was sitting there, with a little girl, coloring with crayons.
“Ahem.” Lex gave a sideways smile when the two of them looked up. The girl was about ten years old, and her light brown hair was bound into two braids on either side of her head.
“Oh, hey, Lex. Maddie, this is Lex. He’s my best friend.”
Oh, I am? That’s a surprise. Then call me, jerk. Lex held his tongue and smiled at the little girl, who widened her eyes in alarm. Well, if dogs hated him on sight, why wouldn’t children? Still, it bothered him how uncomfortable he felt. He would be having a child soon enough. Sooner every day. Shouldn’t he be able to get along with them? What if he couldn’t? What if his baby was a mutant-hybrid freak who hated him?
Lex made his mind shut-up already and walked around the table to sit on her other side. “What are we coloring?”
“I was just showing Maddie what a good artist I am.” Clark held up a picture of a stick figure and what was probably a barn.
“Wow. Call the Louvre, we’ve got our next DaVinci right here.”
Maddie giggled. Lex lit up. He made the kid smile!
“So what are you drawing?”
Maddie looked up at him with large, fretful eyes.
“Maddie is a woman of few words,” Clark said meaningfully. Lex put it together. Maddie was from the chief of staff, possibly her daughter. The kid was traumatized and likely knew something about what had happened.
“Wise choice.” Lex took a piece of paper and started to sketch a few lines.
Clark looked over at Lex. “We’ll have her for a few days. Until CPS finds another place for her.”
“Yeah?” So, no father, either.
Jonathan poked his head in the room. “Clark, you mind to come in here a sec?”
Clark nodded. “Don’t flirt with her too much while I’m gone.”
Lex crooked his mouth and rolled his eyes. He looked at the picture Maddie was working on. She really was quite talented.
“So how old are you? Eleven?”
She nodded.
“I guessed it? Dead on.” Lex began to draw the towers. “When I was your age, a year older, actually, I stopped talking to people. For a few months. I’m not sure they were listening to begin with, though.”
She frowned at her drawing.
“I saw something really bad. Something… I couldn’t comprehend and couldn’t talk about. I’ve only told one other person.” Lex took a deep breath. “And when you see someone hurt like that… you wonder… will anyone believe you? And after awhile… I started to wonder if it really happened. How it happened. I started to blame myself. Eventually, I started talking again, but…” He felt tears in his eyes. Damn alien hormones. “But it didn’t change what had happened. And there was no one I could confide in. No one who could make it better. I think if I’d been able to tell someone, I wouldn’t have grown up so… angry at everyone and everything. Things just kept getting worse. And I never had anyone I could tell who would really be on my side.”
Her small hand touched his shoulder, and she looked up sympathetically and opened her mouth a little bit.
“Maddie, you don’t have to say anything. I just hope someone can be there for you when you’re ready.” He slid his picture over to her. “This is where I live.”
She frowned dubiously.
“It’s true. I live in a castle. My dad told people that it was our ancestral home and we were royalty, but I think he just picked a castle from Scotland and uprooted it.” Lex pointed to a window. “This is my office. I live in that place, I swear. Until recently I didn’t sleep in a bed. I slept on the couch in my office or in the jet or car on the way to business meetings, when I had to.” He smiled at the look on her face. “Yeah, I’m weird. Clark made me start sleeping in a bed, though. He’s a good guy.”
She pointed to his picture.
“Yeah. But a lousy artist. And a dork.”
She smiled. He picked up another sheet of paper and started to sketch out a picture of his mom. “This was my mother. She meant a lot to me. She had lots of bright red hair, like mine. Well, mine before it all fell out.”
Maddie reached up curiously. Lex started to pull away, but stopped himself, then leaned over so she could feel his head. Her small fingers moved gently over the soft skin. It tickled a bit, but Lex didn’t move. He wasn’t accustomed to people other than Clark touching him there. Moving her thin lips a little, she smiled and then took the picture he was drawing and looked at it, then up at him curiously.
“What do you want to know about her? Her name was Lillian. She was a classically trained piano player.” Lex frowned haplessly. He didn’t know what to tell her. “I’m sorry? Um… she was Jewish? I don’t know what you’re asking.”
Maddie seemed frustrated. She rubbed his shoulder sympathetically, then she took a red crayon and drew a heart on the side of the picture and pointed to it.
“Yeah, I loved her a lot. I missed her so much when she died. Heh. I still miss her, sometimes. I don’t know if it gets better with time, but… I wonder if I just haven’t forgotten. You lose things, with time. The pain doesn’t seem to be so sharp. And I think that’s just because I can’t see her smile as clearly as I used to.” Lex traced a finger around the outline of his mother’s face. “Maybe that’s the only way we can cope with loss.”
The two of them sat in silence, Lex trying to fill out his mother’s features, and Maddie working on another picture. Lex supposed that he shouldn’t be surprised that he’d failed to connect with the child. He’d only just met her, and to this point, he had very rarely managed to connect to anyone else.
“How…?” A small voice asked. Lex jerked his head up.
“Maddie?”
“How…” Her voice was delicate and very timid. Lex turned fully to listen to her. “How did she die?”
“She… she was sick for a long time. In the end, her heart gave out.” Lex felt his lip crumble.
“Oh.”
He could see her face shutting down. Lex sighed. It wasn’t as though this little girl would be talking to anyone else. “She was mentally ill. I’m not sure… for how long, but…” He sighed. “She was depressed, and I never knew how much of her illness had to do with her mental problems and the medications she was taking.” He sighed again shakily. “My father just kept pushing her. You can’t push a sick woman like that. She had a heart problem… but I’m pretty sure she killed herself. They would never tell me. I wasn’t there for that, but…”
Maddie looked up at him with shining eyes.
Lex started shaking his head. “She smothered my baby brother in his crib. She was out of her fucking mind.”
The girl’s nose wrinkled, and she began to sob. Lex fought with himself, watching her cry. He put his arms around her, rubbing her back comfortingly as she pressed against her head against his chest. A tear slid down his own face.
“I felt like it was my fault.” His voice choked on the tears he refused to shed. “But there was nothing I could do. Nothing… and no one I could tell… fuck.”
***
“Dad… oh, god.” Clark turned to his father.
“What is it?”
“Maddie spoke. Lex got her to talk. Wow.” Clark stared at his father, mouth agape and his back straight.
Jonathan moved quickly to enter the dining room, and Clark followed him. “No, Dad. Wait.”
“She’s talking?”
“She spoke a little, but… I think we should wait to go in there. I don’t want to spook her.” Or spook Lex. I can’t believe he never told me that! No wonder he went so crazy over losing Julian. Clark stepped back. Jonathan nodded and went back to cooking dinner.
“I guess we’ll just have to wait to see how this turns out?”
Clark waited until he heard the sobbing die down, then announced himself, by saying loudly, “You guys getting hungry?”
Lex turned to him with clear, but red-rimmed eyes. The two of them were looking over a picture of a car. There was a lot of red covering the woman inside.
“What’s this?”
Lex met Maddie’s eye before answering Clark. “This is what happened to Maddie’s mom.”
Clark studied the picture. It looked like the windows of the car were attacking the driver. “But it was her foster mother who died. She was in a house.”
Lex shook his head.
Clark noticed the little seat in the back. “Ohhh.”
This situation had just gotten a lot more complicated.
Clark sat with them quietly, thinking this new development over, until Lex excused himself to go to the bathroom. Maddie looked over her shoulder forlornly.
“He won’t be long,” Clark promised, taking his seat beside her and looking over their drawings. Maddie pointed to Lex’s drawings of the castle and a beautiful redheaded woman. Oddly, Clark hadn’t known that Lex could draw that well. He picked up the picture of Lex’s mother and studied it. Lex had her eyes.
“Oh! Hi, who is this?” Lana said brightly, showing up unexpectedly. She hadn’t even knocked, and Clark cursed himself for not listening around the house for her clopping shoes. Maddie scooted back in her chair, uncertain about this new person, and Clark watched to see if she would speak again, but she had shut in again tight as a clam.
“This is Maddie. We’re looking after her for a few days.”
“How fun!”
Maddie frowned and looked over her shoulder again, obviously wanting Lex to come back. This was awkward, though Clark knew that it was par for the course in his relationship with Lana for fights to be ignored until they blew up again.
When Lex came strolling back into the room, his face stiffened noticeably when he saw Lana. He rolled his shoulders and tried to relax. Typical Unflappable Lex response. Though Clark had noticed he seemed much more flappable these days.
“Hello, Lana. How’ve you been?” he asked in an easy tone.
“Not bad,” she replied coolly, walking over to the table and taking his seat next to Maddie. The girl looked up at Lex fretfully. “What are you drawing, Maddie?”
Lana grimaced and seemed affronted by the bloody picture. Maddie snatched it away and held it tightly in her hands as she stared at the table.
“It’s okay,” Lex said quietly. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped out of her chair and moved closer to him and further away from Lana. Her reaction pleased Lex in no small amount. “Tired of drawing? Want to help Mr. Kent? Or we could go see Clark’s Fortress of Solitude. It’s pretty cool. You can spy on almost anyone in town from there.”
“Hey!” Clark laughed. “I don’t spy on people… anymore.”
“Yeah, we can go see the barn,” Lana tried again cheerfully. Maddie cocked her head and looked Lana over in confusion. The four of them stood awkwardly. Suddenly they looked up as the windows shook. Maddie’s eyes widened, and she ran out of the room. Clark and Lex exchanged a glance and then Lex ran after her.
“Lana, I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to be around Maddie. Someone just killed her foster mother, and we think the same person may have killed her mom.”
“Is that why she freaked out just now?”
“I don’t know, but she really trusts Lex. If there’s tension between the two of you…”
“Are you telling me to leave?”
Clark felt conflicted. He really did want her to leave. “No. Just… maybe just… we’ll go to the barn. Come get us when dinner is done, and we can keep you and Lex apart. You guys can manage not to fuss at each other over dinner, right?”
“I can if he can.”
“Sorry you walked into this mess. Maybe… call next time?” Clark asked. Her face soured as he turned to go out to the barn. “Why don’t you help dad with dinner? Or at least keep him company and make sure he doesn’t burn the house down?”
She sighed heavily and nodded.
Sorry, Dad, he thought to himself as he walked in the direction Maddie had fled. After looking for a few moments, he listened for the two of them, and he heard Lex’s even, reassuring voice outside.
“It’s fine, Maddie. I believe you. Look, you aren’t the only one. That much is for sure. Just… try to stay calm, and we’ll take care of you.”
“Okay,” she whispered. Aside from their two voices Clark could hear a faint, but very quick sound. He couldn’t quite place it. Two heartbeats, their breathing, various organs working, blood rushing through their veins, and a sound almost like a humming. Or a whooshing. It was near Lex, for certain, but Clark had no idea what it was. A bug? But it didn’t sound like a bug.
Clark came outside and walked up to the two of them slowly. “You guys alright? Sorry about Lana, that was… kinda weird.”
“She’s your girlfriend. Is it strange that she comes over?” Lex asked.
Maddie frowned incredulously.
Lex gave her a conspiring grin. “Yeah, I know. Clark dates girls? Yuck.”
“Lex, stop it. It’s weird because the last time I saw her, we were fighting. Now, boom. Hi, Lana.”
“Isn’t that the way it always works with you two?” Lex asked, leading Maddie to the barn.
“Yeah, I guess. But usually, she’s the one who walks out on me. Then it’s sort of wow, I guess she forgave me!”
Lex shook his head along with Maddie. “Don’t be that girl, Maddie. Passive aggressive is not attractive to men. Or women. Or intersexed people. Or aliens…”
“Shut up.”
The two of them laughed, and Clark felt like they had bonded through their trauma and were now ganging up on him. Lex rubbed the girl’s back as they walked along, and she seemed a lot more relaxed after Clark had shown her around the farm.
They reached the barn, and Clark took the lead. “And this is the world-famous Kent barn. When I was about your age my dad used to let me jump in the haystacks in here.”
He looked back to Lex and Maddie, the two of them standing there close together. It was like Lex was her protective big brother. Or maybe her father, although that would mean that Lex was like fifteen when she was born, so… Clark had to stop that line of thought immediately.
“Do you wanna see my loft? It's kind of like my clubhouse. I bring lots of girls up here,” he said, turning to go up the stairs.
Lex made an amused noise in his throat. Was Lex making fun of him?
“Whaat?” Clark complained.
“Are you… are you serious?” Lex asked, trying not to smile. “You’re going to take her up into your loft? You take lots of girls up there? She’s eleven.”
Maddie put her hands over her mouth and laughed. Clark blushed.
“I didn’t mean it like that!”
Maddie laughed even harder. Clark sighed and figured he could do with a little embarrassment if it made this poor kid smile.
There was a bark, and Shelby ran into the barn. Lex took a step back.
“Hey, Shelby!” Clark walked over to his dog.
Maddie smiled and ran over to the dog to ruffle his fur.
“Hey boy, good doggie,” she whispered into his ear. Then there was that humming sound again, behind them. Ignoring it for the moment, Clark smiled, knelt down beside her, and gave Shelby a pet.
“Yeah, he can be a good dog when he wants to be. Getting kinda old. You know, Maddie you and I have a lot more in common than you think. I was an orphan too. I lost my parents when I was just a baby, and the Kents adopted me.” He gave Shelby another pet. “Looks like Shelby likes you. Animals are great, aren't they? They listen to you, don't say mean things back. Look, I might not be as furry as Shelby or wag my tail or bark, but I promise I'll never say mean things to you.”
He caught Lex out of the corner of his eye making that face where he was trying not to laugh and smushing his lips together. Clark bit his lip. Maddie made no pretensions. She looked back at Lex, who shrugged and nodded to her encouragingly.
“Do you want to go see the horses? Or we could play with Shelby some more until dinner,” Clark offered.
Maddie hugged Shelby and raised her brows at Lex.
“I’m not really a dog person,” Lex admitted. “They all growl at me. Give me a cat any day.”
She grinned and then very softly said, “I like cats a lot, too.”
“We don’t have any barn cats around. We had this one tom that used to run around here and mark Nell’s house, but he died about three years back,” Clark said.
“We can go see the horses,” Maddie said, standing and moving back towards Lex.
“Don’t curb your plans on my account.” He stepped towards Maddie and received a growl from Shelby.
“Why is he doing that?”
Lex shrugged. “Dogs don’t like me.”
“Hold your hand out. I bet if he sniffs you, he’ll trust you more. Dogs read you first to see how to react,” Maddie advised.
“That’s perfectly alright. I’m good over here,” Lex said, stepping back. Maddie smiled at him and followed.
”Scared.”
”I’m not scared. I just don’t particularly like being bitten by an animal that large.”
Maddie continued to smile knowingly. “Will you ride with us?”
“I don’t think we have time to ride before dinner.”
“Are you scared of horses too?”
“I’m not scared of horses, and I’m not scared of dogs,” Lex insisted. Clark chuckled. Lex shot him a glare.
“Then you’ll ride with us,” Maddie insisted.
“Well, I could call my doctors, but I’m guessing that would be a hell no from both Toby and Tanaka.”
“Oh, right,” Clark said. “Yeah, it wouldn’t be good for Lex to ride, Maddie. He’s had some trouble with his blood pressure. It would be really bad if it dropped and he fell from the horse.”
“Oh no.” Maddie frowned with concern and moved closer to Lex, holding his arm. “Can you go up in the loft?”
“If Clark promises to catch me when I swoon,” Lex replied raising his brows at Clark.
“Oh, milady, your faints are perfectly safe. I shall be your gentleman to the fullest,” Clark said. Maddie giggled as she bounded up the stairs into the loft.
Lex headed up to the telescope and looked in it. “Well. Guess what Maddie. You can see my house from here.”
She went over to the telescope to look, as Lex shot Clark a dubious gaze. The telescope was aimed right at his office.
“Do you really live in a castle? Oh! Wow! Lucky!”
“You can be lucky, too, Maddie. It's not too late. We're gonna find you a good family,” Clark assured her.
“People don't like me.” She frowned a little, still looking around with the telescope.
“People don’t like me either, and I manage,” Lex said. Maddie looked up.
“Then people are dumb. How can they not like you? Did you know, Clark, that if you had a more powerful telescope, you could look right into Lex’s office? I bet you could catch him sleeping on the couch. Or changing or something.”
“Ahh haha…” Clark laughed in embarrassment.
Lex snorted.
Clark turned his head a little, feeling himself blush. “Well, uh… those people are crazy. I like you. I like both of you.”
“Maybe you’re crazy, too,” Lex suggested with amusement.
“More and more possible every day.” Clark moved away from them onto the couch. Lex got up from where he was crouching, rubbing his abdomen and looking a bit dizzy. Clark lifted his head and asked, “You okay?”
“Fine,” he snapped. Then he rubbed the corners of his eyes in annoyance at himself. “I’m just a little lightheaded. We’re not hitting collapsing time yet.”
“Come sit down.” Clark patted the seat next to him. Lex raised a brow before walking over there and slowly taking a seat, where Clark reached over and started to rub his neck with one hand. Lex leaned back and made a pleased noise. Behind the telescope, Maddie was watching them sneakily with a big smile on her face.
“Dad said you brought us ice cream. I take it that means your day was awesome?” Clark asked a little sarcastically.
“Ugh. That’s really all I can say. That, and well, ice cream is awesome, and you missed out last time we went.”
Clark winced. It didn’t seem like a dig, but it hurt anyway. Then, well, there it was. That wonderful musky scent, drifting into his nostrils, making him want to curl around Lex and protect him from everything. Suddenly, his arm was around Lex, and he was sniffing his neck brazenly, as his heart quickened and his cheeks flushed. He couldn’t help it. He had to touch him had to love him had to have him RIGHT NOW. The need made him shake. Lex stiffened in his arms and turned his head to say something to him.
Clark met his lips with a kiss.
***
Well, that negates my diminishing alien hormone theory, Lex thought, trying to pull away. The problem was, now he was caught up in Clark’s scent, and he didn’t want to get away. He wanted Clark to hold him and love him. He wanted Clark to be his rock and keep him safe from harm. He wanted Clark to be there for him and his baby so much it made his teeth ache and shivers run up his spine. Even as he tried to pull away, he pressed into the kiss, into Clark’s arms.
I’m turning into such a damn woman. Look at me. Crying all over the place, getting emotional at work, trying to bond with this kid… kissing Clark… Lex heard a little gasp and wondered if Maddie had caught them. They were probably traumatizing her. Wait till the Social Services boys got a hold of this one.
Clark’s arm held Lex tightly in place and the other hand cupped his face a little more gently. Their lips undulated together, sloppy open kisses. Lex was the first to begin slipping his tongue along the inside of Clark’s lip, and once he’d gained entry, he began exploring the taste and texture of Clark’s mouth as dutifully as any proper scientist should.
But soon enough Lex realized that if he didn’t stop this, they would really be traumatizing Maddie by stripping their clothing off. He began to pull away again, this time with a little more control, now that he had his daily dose of Clark.
“Need to breathe!” Lex said, hoping Clark’s sudden care for him would extend past making out like horny teenagers.
Apparently, it did, as Clark pulled away and caressed the back of Lex’s head with his fingertips, looking into his eyes with both adoration and confusion. Lex turned to look for Maddie, who didn’t appear traumatized at all, but instead was about to die of giggling as she leaned against the railing, hands covering her mouth.
“Sorry about that.”
She simply giggled.
“Hey, guys! Dinner time!” Lana called from the floor of the barn. Clark’s eyes bulged, and he looked like he’d just gotten his hand smacked for dipping into the cookie jar.
“We’re coming,” Lex called. Ugh. “Down!”
Clark attentively helped him to his feet, and Lex let him, careful to keep his features blank as he descended the stairs to face Lana. Clark was going to look red-faced and guilty no matter what, but Lex at least could manage a façade of propriety. On the way down, Maddie slipped between them and took his hand. The three of them descended the stairs together, and Lana’s face became an unreadable, cold mask.
Once down the stairs, Clark walked up to Lana and walked beside her. He made a move to put his hand on her shoulder, but chickened out. After a few minutes of silence, Clark dropped back and walked on the other side of Maddie.
“Lucky girl,” Lana said as they entered the house. “Got both these boys all over you.”
Maddie said nothing and followed Lex into the kitchen. He made sure that Maddie sat beside him. “Want some milk?”
She nodded.
“I got it, Lex,” Jonathan said. When Clark entered the dining room, Jonathan turned to him. “Chloe called back. Oh, and we have another guest. Good thing I made too much. All of Martha’s recipes make too much.”
Clark grinned. “That’s so we can have leftovers. And because when I was growing up, I ate like a horse.”
“Y’still do,” Lois said, coming in. “Hey! Martha told me you were having some trouble. With her chief of staff gone, she asked me to come by and help. Martha said you were an artist, Maddie. I brought crayons and a coloring book!”
Lois stepped forward and shoved them in Maddie’s face. Lex reached out with one hand and shoved them back. “That’s great, but it’s dinner time. You can teach Maddie to color outside the lines after she eats.”
“Settle down, kids,” Jonathan demanded, pointing at the table. Lois and Lana seated themselves, and Clark moved towards the door.
“Lemme just call Chloe back?”
“That’s rude,” Lois said. “Sit your butt down and eat.”
Jonathan stared at her. She began busily focusing on the placement of her napkin.
“Go ahead. It’s important,” Jonathan told him. Clark left, and Jonathan put the casserole dish on the table. “Right, so we have Martha’s macaroni casserole, baked chicken, and broccoli and cauliflower. I made it exactly to the recipe, so let’s hope it’s edible.”
Lex grinned. “It smells fine to me.”
“Maybe we should have Lex taste-test it. He’ll be the first darting for the bathroom if it’s not okay,” Jonathan joked.
“God, isn’t that the truth.” Lex picked up the macaroni dish and began putting a little on Maddie’s plate. “How much do you want?”
She nodded when it was enough, and Lois and Lana gaped, watching Lex set her plate up for her before he did his own. Jonathan grinned and passed the plates around. When Clark came back, he found the only seat was in between Lana and Lois.
“Chloe say anything interesting?” Lois asked.
”She’s uh, we called her when they brought Maddie over to check out her history. You haven’t met Chloe, but she’s pretty genius at finding connections that normal people wouldn’t see.”
“Damn straight she does,” Lex said cutting up his chicken
“Language,” Lana admonished.
“She’s already heard me say worse. Not intentionally. It’s not like she’s going to swear at you,” Lex returned. He looked over to make sure Maddie was navigating her chicken all right. She had set down the fork and begun picking the meat off with her fingers. Lex reached over and got her a few napkins.
“Anyway, she was just telling me what she’d found from Maddie’s records and um… we have nothing so far… It’s taking a little while because of her hurt wrist, but I’m sure she’ll figure it out.”
Maddie smiled at him gratefully.
The meal went fairly smoothly, with only a few barbs between Lex, Lois, and Lana. Jonathan began to clean up the dishes, and Clark stopped his hand. “My turn.”
”I’ll help,” Lex offered, wiping his hands.
Clark let his jaw drop with mock surprise. “You can wash dishes?”
“Fancy private schools like Excelsior usually just punish their brats with chores. I had more KP duty than a clumsy private in the army.”
“Why don’t I get it? I haven’t been helping much, and you guys have been babysitting Maddie all afternoon,” Lana suggested.
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want to mess up Lex’s manicure,” Lois added, grabbing some dishes awkwardly.
“Okay,” Clark said uneasily, watching Lois maul the dishes. The remaining four went into the living room to sit a bit before breaking out the ice cream.
“So, Maddie, you like the farm life?” Lex asked her, sitting on the couch with her. She smiled and leaned against him. Lex couldn’t help but smile back and feel warm. He couldn’t believe this kid liked him. “My parents owned a ranch in Montana, once. We used to go out there, work with the hands. Clean up after the horses. Milk cows.”
Jonathan snorted.
“I loved it!” Lex protested. “Well, I was just a kid then, but until I was about ten, I didn’t exactly get outside much. My mom would get me an allergy shot and take me to the ranch so I could run around with the animals like a normal kid.”
“I wonder how much you’d love it, if that were your job,” Jonathan said.
Lex shrugged. “It’s not a bad job. It’s a precarious one, financially speaking, but I think it’s worth doing. Especially since you’re one of the few farmers around here who doesn’t use the meteor rocks to grow your food.”
“You’d get bored with it,” Jonathan said with certainty.
“I get bored running a company sometimes,” Lex admitted.
“So you run for office?”
Lex gave a dry laugh. “I didn’t run because I was bored. And despite what my father thinks, I didn’t run for vanity, either. There are several issues coming up for the senate that I wanted to be involved in. Also, I turned 25. Might as well get some experience now.”
“I kind of wondered about that,” Clark said. Lex shrugged.
“You never asked me why I was running. Not that it matters now. I hope Martha has the sense to see the issues the way I did, but I have no idea, really, since she wasn’t debating against me.”
“I didn’t ever know what the hell you were talking about in the debates,” Jonathan retorted.
Lex cringed. “Sorry. I was nervous. It’s easier to hid behind a mask of twenty dollar words when you aren’t feeling confident.”
“Don’t know what you had to be nervous about.”
“As soon as you announced your candidacy, people started resurrecting all of these old lies about me. It was unnerving to be on the stage with you when your ethos centers on Honorable Family Man and despite my best efforts, mine still centers on Deviant of Multiple Varieties.” Lex shook his head. “I was going for Progressive, but what can you do.”
“I never sponsored those ads slamming you, Lex,” Jonathan argued.
“I know. You wouldn’t have run that kind of campaign.” Lex smiled slightly. “If you ran disparaging ads against me, they would be completely true.”
Jonathan laughed.
Lex felt the wave nausea before he recognized the smell. He put his hand to his lips and tried to will his stomach to behave.
”Wow, Lex, you just got really pale,” Clark remarked, leaning over to get a better look at him. Lois strolled back into room wiping her hands.
“Did… someone just put on coffee?” he asked softly, almost afraid to open his mouth.
Lois frowned at him. “Yeah, Lana did while we were taking care of the dish- Lex?”
He was bolting from the room as fast as he could. This was going to be bad.
***
Clark followed Lex slowly to the bathroom and listened for him. Then immediately pulled back on the superhearing because Lex was clearly puking up dinner, lunch, breakfast, and possibly his kidneys and a portion of his lower intestine.
“Uh, are you okay?” Clark asked unnecessarily.
Lex paused gagging for a moment, then yelled out with more than a little aggravation, “Yeah, could you come in here and hold my hair?”
Lois cackled. Lex had been loud enough that they could hear him in the other room. Maddie came forward, looking worried. She drew near Clark and whispered, “Is he going to be okay?”
“Oh, probably. He’s just been sick lately. He was having a hard time keeping things down. Maybe that hasn’t cleared up as much as we thought.”
She gave him a nervous look and leaned against his side. Clark automatically reached up with one hand and began to pet her hair.
“Oh… what happened?” Lana said ingenuously as she came out of the kitchen. Clark turned to her with a glare.
“I think the smell of the coffee made Lex sick.”
“Why are you looking at me like that? How could I possibly know the smell of coffee made him yak? He used to drink two or three double cappuccinos a day!” She creased her forehead and stomped back into the kitchen.
“Everyone else feel okay?” Jonathan asked. “It could’ve been my cooking.”
“Well, I’ve got an iron gut. Nothing makes me puke,” Lois declared. “Except Swedish Meatballs. Yuck.”
Clark heard water running. “Back up, guys.”
Lois went back into the living room. Lex came out slowly, holding a lavender handkerchief over his mouth and nose.
“Air,” he said simply, making a beeline for the door. Clark got out of his way. Then moments later, he and Maddie followed Lex out and sat with him on the front steps. Lex was breathing through the handkerchief. “Sorry, Clark. I just needed to get away from that smell.”
Clark rubbed his back. “Feeling a little better?”
“Ugh.”
“Want to come in for ice cream? Once we clear the coffee smell?”
“Not really, Clark. With the way my stomach feels, I don’t want to risk it. I like that ice cream too much to be put off from it later because I’m sick.”
Clark smiled and kissed the back of his head. “Thanks for bringing it though. And thanks for staying to help.”
“No problem.”
“I’m going to get you some water.” Clark got up and left them on the steps. Moving back into the living room, where Lana was serving coffee, he leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen and sighed. “Sorry, Lana. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. I was just trying to be considerate.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just hard watching him not really getting any better when we don’t really know what’s wrong.”
“You could ask Chloe. She’s the one who always finds these things out, isn’t she?” Lana suggested, turning her head from him slightly.
Clark thought about it. “I guess… hm. I hadn’t thought to ask. I just figured if it was find-out-able, she would find out and tell me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Lana commented lightly. She sipped her coffee slowly.
“You don’t think Chloe can? Or you don’t think Chloe would tell?” Lois asked. “Cause… number one, my little cousin can find anything out.”
“I don’t know, Lois.” Lana waved her hand. “Do you want me to pour out the rest of the coffee? I figured Mr. Kent and Lex would be drinking a few cups.”
“Go ahead. I’ll break out the air fresheners.” Jonathan stood to go find them. Clark went into the kitchen to get a bottle of water and his cell phone.
“Hey, Chloe.” He stepped outside and sat beside Lex, who had his head in his hands, still holding the handkerchief in place. Clark poked his shoulder with the bottle of water.
“Any news on our little foundling?” Chloe asked. He could hear her pecking at the keyboard.
“Not other than what I told you before. Hey, can I ask you something? I mean, you really don’t have to answer, but I’d like to hear your side.”
Lex sipped the water and looked at Clark in askance.
“Shoot,” Chloe chirruped.
“What were you and Lana fighting about?”
“Um… yeah, that’s kind of personal.”
“Well, she hasn’t mentioned it at all, and I’m kind of wondering. She’s been acting weird. And just now she insinuated that if I asked you to help me figure out why Lex is sick, you either couldn’t do it or wouldn’t tell me what was going on?” He waited and frowned when Chloe said nothing. “Did Lana ask you to help her figure out why Lex is sick? Why would she care?”
“Clark…”
“Did you figure it out?”
Now Lex was looking at him intently with wide eyes.
“You’d at least tell Lex, right?”
“Lex knows as much as I know at this point, Clark. I’d tell him if I cracked the case. I’m not talking to Lana because it’s none of her damn business what’s wrong with Lex. He’s not her boyfriend; they’re not even friends anymore. I should have told her that when she got all creepy on me about it!” she insisted in a distressed voice. “Spirit of the stairway, or whatever.”
Clark looked to Lex. “She said she’s not telling Lana anything because it’s none of her business. Sorry, you looked worried.”
“Can I… speak to her?”
“Wait, is Lex there?” Chloe asked. “I feel like the two of you are setting me up or something. Stoppit! If you want to know something, ASK LEX!”
The last part was shouted so loudly that both Lex and Maddie jumped. Lex motioned for Clark to give him the phone.
“Chloe?”
“Jesus Christ,” she sighed in frustration.
“No, it’s Lex.”
“Funny. Look, I haven’t told anyone anything. It’s nobody’s business but yours, okay?”
“What do you think that you know?”
“I don’t want to say on a cell phone, but I know that you’re going to be shopping for binkies pretty soon. Other than that, I think I know everything that you do.”
Clark watched Lex’s face grow tight. What the hell was a binky?
“I appreciate your discretion.”
”I figured I’d only be telling Clark if, you know, Milton Fine reappeared and things got dangerous. I mean, he can be clueless, but after a certain point, he’s not going to need to be told.”
Lex took a deep breath.
“That probably didn’t help, did it?”
“Not really, but… alright then. You didn’t tell Lana anything?”
“I told her that your lackey Mercy was buying you herbal tea instead of coffee.”
“Did you tell her why?”
“No, I wouldn’t tell her that you’re-“
“No, I mean, did you tell her what coffee is doing to me?”
“That it makes you yak? Yeah. Did that… did she figure it out?” she asked in surprise.
“No, she just brewed a pot of coffee to spite me.” Lex rubbed his forehead. “The anticipated reaction occurred.”
“Ew! Uh, sorry.”
“I’m fine. Well, now that my stomach is empty. Thank you, Chloe, again.”
“I’m still looking into it. In case I find anything… Wall of Weird Worthy.”
“Beyond the obvious?”
“This is by far not the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Besides, the more I research this, the more I find that… this happens.”
“Really?” Lex looked over to Clark. “Sorry, I’m stealing your minutes.”
“Clark has free calls after seven,” Chloe answered immediately.
“Can we talk about this another time? I’d like to hear about those other cases.”
“Uh… sure. If they aren’t going to squick you out.”
“Nothing is more disgusting than coffee right now. Which is a sad thing, since I used to breathe the stuff.”
She laughed. “Okay, does Clark have anything else he wants to say? I’m still digging on the Maddie Van Horn case.”
Lex offered the phone back to Clark.
“Thanks, Chloe. Sorry for prying.”
“I’ve gotten more ‘sorries’ tonight than, I think, the entire time I’ve known you. Have I gotten Lana in trouble?”
“Don’t worry about it. She’s just digging herself a deeper hole now.”
“God, the never ending Clark/Lana soap opera,” she groaned. “Confront her you passive-aggressive little girl!”
“Bye, Chloe.”
“Bye.”
Then Clark and Lex looked at one another.
“She made Lex sick on purpose,” Maddie complained.
“She isn’t going to get away with that,” Clark said, standing.
Lex put a hand on Clark’s leg. ”Clark, she will deny it to her dying day. Don’t start this now.”
“But…” Clark huffed. “Come back inside.”
“No, I think I’m just going to go home.”
“Can I come with you?” Maddie asked.
“I think Social Services would want you here.”
“Please?”
Lex looked up at Clark, who practically picked Lex up onto his feet. “Stay, Lex. Don’t let her run you away.”
“I’m tired. I’m just going to fall asleep on you.”
“You could stay the night,” Maddie suggested.
“No, I really couldn’t.”
Together the two of them pulled him inside. Lex raised the handkerchief again, just in case.
“Oh, yay, it’s the puke-machine,” Lois muttered. Maddie glared at her. The windows shook. Clark looked at them anxiously. Lex was rubbing her back and telling her to stay calm. The windows stopped.
“Good to see you’re feeling better, Lex,” Lana said with a friendly smile.
“Yeah, more or less. I’m going to head home, as soon as these two let me,” Lex muttered, giving Clark and Maddie a sideways glance.
“Well, maybe you should go. You look pretty pale, Lex,” she suggested with sugary sweet fake concern and reached over to touch Lex’s shoulder.
Her mug shattered in her hand. Lana screamed.
“I’m sorry!” Maddie pressed her hands over her head and backed away.
Lex wrapped her in his arms and said soothingly, “It’s okay, Maddie. You’re okay. Just stay calm, alright?” He turned his head sharply and ordered, “Clark, take care of Lana! Is she cut?”
Jonathan ran to the other room and returned with a few towels. Clark knelt beside her and inspected her hand. “It’s not bad.”
”Did you see that?” Lana demanded. “Did she do that?”
“She can talk?” Lois asked.
“Everyone calm down. Hold still, Lana, I need to get some ice. You’re more burned than cut.” Jonathan pressed the towel against her lap and left again.
“She’s a monster, Clark. She shatters glass!” Lana said stridently.
“She’s not a monster,” Lex replied firmly. “She got upset, and she can’t always control it, that’s all.”
“You knew?” Lana’s voice raised an octave. “When were you going to tell us about that?”
“Try never. Something she tells me in confidence stays there, Lana.”
“So… you were upset with Naomi?” Lois asked, stepping away from her. The windows started to shake. Maddie started to whimper.
“She can’t do it through walls, Lois. It wasn’t her fault,” Lex explained in a firm voice.
“You should have told us, Lex,” Clark said in a quiet, suspicious voice.
“She didn’t do it, Clark,” Lex shot back. “She’s not a murderer. She’s just a kid!”
“That’s a lot more naivety than I expected from you, Luthor. Don't let her rosy cheeks and saucer eyes sway you. That girl's one step short of the demon seed,” Lois said.
Jonathan returned with the ice and pressed it against Lana’s hand. “Hold this. Now, what the hell are you shouting about?”
“Lex knew that she had a glass shattering power,” Lana said heatedly. “He knew. You put us all in danger!”
“Having an ability doesn’t make her a killer,” Clark said finally. “Everyone cut it out.”
Lex moved Maddie away from them, and she clung to him anxiously. “You’re the one putting us in danger, you selfish twit. Can you not hear the windows? Calm down so she can calm down.”
“You just want to take her away and study her,” Lana accused breathily. Clark looked at Lex and frowned, wondering if that could be why Lex had been so interested in bonding with her.
“I swear, I don’t even know why I bother with you people.” Lex grabbed Maddie’s hand and shot out the door. Clark followed him.
“Lex, wait.”
“If that’s what you think of me, Clark, you can go fuck yourself,” Lex snapped and walked more quickly.
“Wait!”
“Lex!” Maddie looked up at the both of them.
“She hurt Lana!” Clark protested.
“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Maddie pleaded.
“I’m getting her away from them. She can’t control it if the people around her can’t control themselves,” Lex stated, pressing the auto lock. “Get in, Maddie. You can spend the night at the castle, then we’ll find a home for you, I promise.”
He shot Clark an infuriated look before he sped off. Clark stood there confused and upset. He headed back inside to straighten things out before he went to the castle to talk things out with Lex. Maddie would probably be safer with Lex anyway, and he needed some time to cool off.
“Where did he go?” Lana asked.
”He’s taking Maddie to the castle. It’s probably a good idea. There isn’t anything that she can break there that he can’t afford to replace.”
“Except for Lex,” Lois pointed out abrasively. “He could get seriously hurt, the dumb ass!”
“She trusts him, and she feels safe with him-” Clark said.
“She must have no instinct whatsoever,” Lana muttered, sulking over her hand.
“Which means she won’t be out of control around him. Give me some credit guys, and if you won’t give it to me, give it to Lex. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Yeah, taking her to his lab to find out how her powers work,” Lana shot back.
“That’s completely baseless, Lana!”
“It wasn’t so baseless when you said it,” she pointed out.
“I was infected with a meteor rock at the time. I was paranoid.”
“Well, those fears came from somewhere.”
“I also thought that random black trucks were following me around, my parents were selling me to Lionel Luthor, and you were conspiring with Lex about an alien spaceship. Oh wait. You were.”
“Um, aren’t we getting off track…” Lois asked.
“We aren’t getting anywhere standing around accusing each other,” Jonathan boomed, stepping into the middle of the circle.
Clark looked down. Really he was just feeling guilty for the kneejerk reaction he’d had to the suggestion of Lex experimenting on people. He might cross the line sometimes, but Lex had never hurt anyone who hadn’t moved against him first, as far as Clark knew, and he’d never done experimental treatments unless he was trying to help, misguided or not. Most of all, Clark was just smarting because he’d forgotten momentarily exactly how Lex had bonded with Maddie. That was the truth. Lex hardly ever gave that much of himself, not for a plan, or a scheme. He’d done it for her, probably because she was small and scared, as he had been, with no one to help or to talk to.
“I’ve got to go to the castle and talk to him. Lana, Lois, maybe you guys should go home. If you’re right, Lex is in danger. If Lex is right, they’re both in danger.”
Lois nodded. “C’mon, let’s get out of the way. Sorry I wasn’t more help.”
Lana huffed a little before she left.
“Damn, that girl was in a snit tonight,” Jonathan picked up the phone. “I’m gonna call your mother, leave her a message about what’s going on. Go check up on Lex. The boy wasn’t looking so well, and I dunno if he should be driving.”
“I’ll catch up with him.”
“On foot? Or you taking the truck?”
“Foot would be better, but what would I say when I got there?” Clark went to get the keys. “Be careful, Dad.”
“You too, son.”
Clark bounded out to the truck and headed towards the Luthor mansion, speeding more than a little. He almost missed seeing Lex’s car on the side of the road and had to hang a U-turn and head back. Pulling the truck up beside Lex’s black Lamborghini and jumping out, his heart jumped seeing the windows shattered out of the car, and he ran around the side looking for Lex and Maddie.
There he was, laying face down on the ground with shards of glass sticking out of his back. He was bleeding. A lot. Clark ran to his side and noticed that Lex had his gun drawn.
”Lex! Lex?” Clark knelt beside him and listened for his heartbeat. Still there, but slow, and that other sound was there as well, the one he couldn’t place. Whooshing away. Almost like… Clark sighed, decided to put that on the backburner for the moment, and called for an ambulance.
”Maddie…” Lex groaned softly.
“I know, she… I’m sorry, Lex.” Clark was a little floored to think she would have hurt him. She seemed to have clung to him so quickly.
“He has her… shot him…”
Clark stiffened. “What? Someone took her?”
Lex lifted his lids just a bit.
“Did she do this to stop him? Oh! This is the guy!”
Lex moved his lips a little bit. Blood trickled down his lips. “Save her…”
“I’ll try, Lex. Just hang on.” Clark trailed his fingers down Lex’s lax face. His eyes were growing wide and wet. “Does it hurt?”
“God, Clark… if he hurts her, after… after this…”
“We’ll get him. I promise, just hang on.” Clark looked at the glass in his back and bit his lip. It was all he could do to keep from pulling it out himself. He took Lex’s right hand in his own and squeezed it as he waited for the ambulance to come.
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
Chapter 5.1
Chapter 5.2
Chapter Six
Between his dreams and Mxyzptlk’s words, Lex had been extraordinarily jumpy. Clark hadn’t called in over a week, and Lex had needed to lock himself in his office once to simply sit and cry. Damn alien hormones.
Clark’s sudden scarceness around the castle told Lex that maybe whatever lure Clark had felt as a result of Lex’s illness or scent was starting to wear off. Clark would soon come to his senses and stop paying any attention to him unless he needed something. Regardless, Lex was starting to feel a bit better, a bit more capable of going about his business and getting back to the important research that could possibly save the world or his life.
The only problem was, he felt a strange ache when Clark wasn’t around, and it made him a little unstable when Clark was around because it felt as though that unrequited need would never be filled if he let Clark out of his sight. He desperately wanted to get a grip on this situation, but desiring Clark so much made it almost impossible to see clearly. Lex hated being so out of control.
The decision to visit Clark wasn’t one that Lex had made consciously, but when he realized he was headed in that direction instead of home, he decided to go with it. He had considered calling, but bearing in mind how much good that had done him last time, he skipped the step and concentrated on driving.
On a whim, he dropped by Á La Mode and picked up a couple of pints of gourmet ice cream. If nothing else, he could deliver this to the Kents as thanks for being kind to him when he’d been sick.
When he reached the farmhouse, Lex smiled involuntarily as he pulled up. At least something was stable in his life. At this hour, Mrs. Kent would probably be moving around the kitchen, starting up dinner. Mr. Kent would be either finishing up chores or spending some time with his son, and Clark, well, if he weren’t with his father, he’d be in the loft. Spying on people or puttering around. He walked slowly up to the front door and knocked lightly.
“Hang on!” Jonathan yelled. He came to the door a moment later wearing a blue apron and wiping his hands with a dishcloth. “Hey, there, Lex. C’mon in. I was just starting dinner.
“Oh?” Lex, a bit jarred, held up the bag from Á La Mode. “I come bearing chilled gourmet dessert.”
“Really? Wow. Too bad Martha’s not here. She was craving ice cream something awful before.” Jonathan took the bag. “I’ll put this in the ice box.”
Lex nodded and frowned a little. “Where did Mrs. Kent go?”
“She had to head out to deal with a ‘situation.’” Jonathan called from the kitchen. He came back quickly and continued in a hushed voice, “Her chief of staff was murdered.”
Lex raised his brows in surprise. “Really?”
Jonathan shook his head and licked over his lips. “The craziest thing. She was standing in front of a mirror, and it shattered into her. Shards went straight into Naomi’s body. Now, the police are saying ‘accidental death,’ but…”
“But a mirror shattered into her.” Lex rolled his eyes to the ceiling, thinking. “I can’t think of anyone who had a power specifically like that, but it could always be a telekinetic. They’re rare, though.”
Jonathan nodded. “So, Martha’s out taking care of it. So us boys are stuck at home. Want to stay for dinner?”
“If it’s not trouble for you. Do you want me to get someone on this case?”
“Ahhh…” Jonathan shrugged. “We’ll have to talk with Clark about it. At this point, I dunno the history on it or anything.”
“You’d think I’d remember if anything like that had happened… maybe I filed it under something else. Or maybe this is a new meta.”
“Meta?”
Lex shook his head to remind himself that this was new lingo for most people. “Sorry. Meta-human. It’s the PC term for ‘meteor freak.’ Well, not just meteor mutants, but other types of humans with powers.”
“Oh. Well, I’d hate to be insensitive; meta it is then. Clark’s at the dining room table.”
Lex nodded. “I could help you with dinner.”
“Nah, I gotta learn. I’ll let you boys know if I get stuck.”
Lex headed into the dining room and raised his brows yet again. Clark was sitting there, with a little girl, coloring with crayons.
“Ahem.” Lex gave a sideways smile when the two of them looked up. The girl was about ten years old, and her light brown hair was bound into two braids on either side of her head.
“Oh, hey, Lex. Maddie, this is Lex. He’s my best friend.”
Oh, I am? That’s a surprise. Then call me, jerk. Lex held his tongue and smiled at the little girl, who widened her eyes in alarm. Well, if dogs hated him on sight, why wouldn’t children? Still, it bothered him how uncomfortable he felt. He would be having a child soon enough. Sooner every day. Shouldn’t he be able to get along with them? What if he couldn’t? What if his baby was a mutant-hybrid freak who hated him?
Lex made his mind shut-up already and walked around the table to sit on her other side. “What are we coloring?”
“I was just showing Maddie what a good artist I am.” Clark held up a picture of a stick figure and what was probably a barn.
“Wow. Call the Louvre, we’ve got our next DaVinci right here.”
Maddie giggled. Lex lit up. He made the kid smile!
“So what are you drawing?”
Maddie looked up at him with large, fretful eyes.
“Maddie is a woman of few words,” Clark said meaningfully. Lex put it together. Maddie was from the chief of staff, possibly her daughter. The kid was traumatized and likely knew something about what had happened.
“Wise choice.” Lex took a piece of paper and started to sketch a few lines.
Clark looked over at Lex. “We’ll have her for a few days. Until CPS finds another place for her.”
“Yeah?” So, no father, either.
Jonathan poked his head in the room. “Clark, you mind to come in here a sec?”
Clark nodded. “Don’t flirt with her too much while I’m gone.”
Lex crooked his mouth and rolled his eyes. He looked at the picture Maddie was working on. She really was quite talented.
“So how old are you? Eleven?”
She nodded.
“I guessed it? Dead on.” Lex began to draw the towers. “When I was your age, a year older, actually, I stopped talking to people. For a few months. I’m not sure they were listening to begin with, though.”
She frowned at her drawing.
“I saw something really bad. Something… I couldn’t comprehend and couldn’t talk about. I’ve only told one other person.” Lex took a deep breath. “And when you see someone hurt like that… you wonder… will anyone believe you? And after awhile… I started to wonder if it really happened. How it happened. I started to blame myself. Eventually, I started talking again, but…” He felt tears in his eyes. Damn alien hormones. “But it didn’t change what had happened. And there was no one I could confide in. No one who could make it better. I think if I’d been able to tell someone, I wouldn’t have grown up so… angry at everyone and everything. Things just kept getting worse. And I never had anyone I could tell who would really be on my side.”
Her small hand touched his shoulder, and she looked up sympathetically and opened her mouth a little bit.
“Maddie, you don’t have to say anything. I just hope someone can be there for you when you’re ready.” He slid his picture over to her. “This is where I live.”
She frowned dubiously.
“It’s true. I live in a castle. My dad told people that it was our ancestral home and we were royalty, but I think he just picked a castle from Scotland and uprooted it.” Lex pointed to a window. “This is my office. I live in that place, I swear. Until recently I didn’t sleep in a bed. I slept on the couch in my office or in the jet or car on the way to business meetings, when I had to.” He smiled at the look on her face. “Yeah, I’m weird. Clark made me start sleeping in a bed, though. He’s a good guy.”
She pointed to his picture.
“Yeah. But a lousy artist. And a dork.”
She smiled. He picked up another sheet of paper and started to sketch out a picture of his mom. “This was my mother. She meant a lot to me. She had lots of bright red hair, like mine. Well, mine before it all fell out.”
Maddie reached up curiously. Lex started to pull away, but stopped himself, then leaned over so she could feel his head. Her small fingers moved gently over the soft skin. It tickled a bit, but Lex didn’t move. He wasn’t accustomed to people other than Clark touching him there. Moving her thin lips a little, she smiled and then took the picture he was drawing and looked at it, then up at him curiously.
“What do you want to know about her? Her name was Lillian. She was a classically trained piano player.” Lex frowned haplessly. He didn’t know what to tell her. “I’m sorry? Um… she was Jewish? I don’t know what you’re asking.”
Maddie seemed frustrated. She rubbed his shoulder sympathetically, then she took a red crayon and drew a heart on the side of the picture and pointed to it.
“Yeah, I loved her a lot. I missed her so much when she died. Heh. I still miss her, sometimes. I don’t know if it gets better with time, but… I wonder if I just haven’t forgotten. You lose things, with time. The pain doesn’t seem to be so sharp. And I think that’s just because I can’t see her smile as clearly as I used to.” Lex traced a finger around the outline of his mother’s face. “Maybe that’s the only way we can cope with loss.”
The two of them sat in silence, Lex trying to fill out his mother’s features, and Maddie working on another picture. Lex supposed that he shouldn’t be surprised that he’d failed to connect with the child. He’d only just met her, and to this point, he had very rarely managed to connect to anyone else.
“How…?” A small voice asked. Lex jerked his head up.
“Maddie?”
“How…” Her voice was delicate and very timid. Lex turned fully to listen to her. “How did she die?”
“She… she was sick for a long time. In the end, her heart gave out.” Lex felt his lip crumble.
“Oh.”
He could see her face shutting down. Lex sighed. It wasn’t as though this little girl would be talking to anyone else. “She was mentally ill. I’m not sure… for how long, but…” He sighed. “She was depressed, and I never knew how much of her illness had to do with her mental problems and the medications she was taking.” He sighed again shakily. “My father just kept pushing her. You can’t push a sick woman like that. She had a heart problem… but I’m pretty sure she killed herself. They would never tell me. I wasn’t there for that, but…”
Maddie looked up at him with shining eyes.
Lex started shaking his head. “She smothered my baby brother in his crib. She was out of her fucking mind.”
The girl’s nose wrinkled, and she began to sob. Lex fought with himself, watching her cry. He put his arms around her, rubbing her back comfortingly as she pressed against her head against his chest. A tear slid down his own face.
“I felt like it was my fault.” His voice choked on the tears he refused to shed. “But there was nothing I could do. Nothing… and no one I could tell… fuck.”
***
“Dad… oh, god.” Clark turned to his father.
“What is it?”
“Maddie spoke. Lex got her to talk. Wow.” Clark stared at his father, mouth agape and his back straight.
Jonathan moved quickly to enter the dining room, and Clark followed him. “No, Dad. Wait.”
“She’s talking?”
“She spoke a little, but… I think we should wait to go in there. I don’t want to spook her.” Or spook Lex. I can’t believe he never told me that! No wonder he went so crazy over losing Julian. Clark stepped back. Jonathan nodded and went back to cooking dinner.
“I guess we’ll just have to wait to see how this turns out?”
Clark waited until he heard the sobbing die down, then announced himself, by saying loudly, “You guys getting hungry?”
Lex turned to him with clear, but red-rimmed eyes. The two of them were looking over a picture of a car. There was a lot of red covering the woman inside.
“What’s this?”
Lex met Maddie’s eye before answering Clark. “This is what happened to Maddie’s mom.”
Clark studied the picture. It looked like the windows of the car were attacking the driver. “But it was her foster mother who died. She was in a house.”
Lex shook his head.
Clark noticed the little seat in the back. “Ohhh.”
This situation had just gotten a lot more complicated.
Clark sat with them quietly, thinking this new development over, until Lex excused himself to go to the bathroom. Maddie looked over her shoulder forlornly.
“He won’t be long,” Clark promised, taking his seat beside her and looking over their drawings. Maddie pointed to Lex’s drawings of the castle and a beautiful redheaded woman. Oddly, Clark hadn’t known that Lex could draw that well. He picked up the picture of Lex’s mother and studied it. Lex had her eyes.
“Oh! Hi, who is this?” Lana said brightly, showing up unexpectedly. She hadn’t even knocked, and Clark cursed himself for not listening around the house for her clopping shoes. Maddie scooted back in her chair, uncertain about this new person, and Clark watched to see if she would speak again, but she had shut in again tight as a clam.
“This is Maddie. We’re looking after her for a few days.”
“How fun!”
Maddie frowned and looked over her shoulder again, obviously wanting Lex to come back. This was awkward, though Clark knew that it was par for the course in his relationship with Lana for fights to be ignored until they blew up again.
When Lex came strolling back into the room, his face stiffened noticeably when he saw Lana. He rolled his shoulders and tried to relax. Typical Unflappable Lex response. Though Clark had noticed he seemed much more flappable these days.
“Hello, Lana. How’ve you been?” he asked in an easy tone.
“Not bad,” she replied coolly, walking over to the table and taking his seat next to Maddie. The girl looked up at Lex fretfully. “What are you drawing, Maddie?”
Lana grimaced and seemed affronted by the bloody picture. Maddie snatched it away and held it tightly in her hands as she stared at the table.
“It’s okay,” Lex said quietly. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped out of her chair and moved closer to him and further away from Lana. Her reaction pleased Lex in no small amount. “Tired of drawing? Want to help Mr. Kent? Or we could go see Clark’s Fortress of Solitude. It’s pretty cool. You can spy on almost anyone in town from there.”
“Hey!” Clark laughed. “I don’t spy on people… anymore.”
“Yeah, we can go see the barn,” Lana tried again cheerfully. Maddie cocked her head and looked Lana over in confusion. The four of them stood awkwardly. Suddenly they looked up as the windows shook. Maddie’s eyes widened, and she ran out of the room. Clark and Lex exchanged a glance and then Lex ran after her.
“Lana, I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to be around Maddie. Someone just killed her foster mother, and we think the same person may have killed her mom.”
“Is that why she freaked out just now?”
“I don’t know, but she really trusts Lex. If there’s tension between the two of you…”
“Are you telling me to leave?”
Clark felt conflicted. He really did want her to leave. “No. Just… maybe just… we’ll go to the barn. Come get us when dinner is done, and we can keep you and Lex apart. You guys can manage not to fuss at each other over dinner, right?”
“I can if he can.”
“Sorry you walked into this mess. Maybe… call next time?” Clark asked. Her face soured as he turned to go out to the barn. “Why don’t you help dad with dinner? Or at least keep him company and make sure he doesn’t burn the house down?”
She sighed heavily and nodded.
Sorry, Dad, he thought to himself as he walked in the direction Maddie had fled. After looking for a few moments, he listened for the two of them, and he heard Lex’s even, reassuring voice outside.
“It’s fine, Maddie. I believe you. Look, you aren’t the only one. That much is for sure. Just… try to stay calm, and we’ll take care of you.”
“Okay,” she whispered. Aside from their two voices Clark could hear a faint, but very quick sound. He couldn’t quite place it. Two heartbeats, their breathing, various organs working, blood rushing through their veins, and a sound almost like a humming. Or a whooshing. It was near Lex, for certain, but Clark had no idea what it was. A bug? But it didn’t sound like a bug.
Clark came outside and walked up to the two of them slowly. “You guys alright? Sorry about Lana, that was… kinda weird.”
“She’s your girlfriend. Is it strange that she comes over?” Lex asked.
Maddie frowned incredulously.
Lex gave her a conspiring grin. “Yeah, I know. Clark dates girls? Yuck.”
“Lex, stop it. It’s weird because the last time I saw her, we were fighting. Now, boom. Hi, Lana.”
“Isn’t that the way it always works with you two?” Lex asked, leading Maddie to the barn.
“Yeah, I guess. But usually, she’s the one who walks out on me. Then it’s sort of wow, I guess she forgave me!”
Lex shook his head along with Maddie. “Don’t be that girl, Maddie. Passive aggressive is not attractive to men. Or women. Or intersexed people. Or aliens…”
“Shut up.”
The two of them laughed, and Clark felt like they had bonded through their trauma and were now ganging up on him. Lex rubbed the girl’s back as they walked along, and she seemed a lot more relaxed after Clark had shown her around the farm.
They reached the barn, and Clark took the lead. “And this is the world-famous Kent barn. When I was about your age my dad used to let me jump in the haystacks in here.”
He looked back to Lex and Maddie, the two of them standing there close together. It was like Lex was her protective big brother. Or maybe her father, although that would mean that Lex was like fifteen when she was born, so… Clark had to stop that line of thought immediately.
“Do you wanna see my loft? It's kind of like my clubhouse. I bring lots of girls up here,” he said, turning to go up the stairs.
Lex made an amused noise in his throat. Was Lex making fun of him?
“Whaat?” Clark complained.
“Are you… are you serious?” Lex asked, trying not to smile. “You’re going to take her up into your loft? You take lots of girls up there? She’s eleven.”
Maddie put her hands over her mouth and laughed. Clark blushed.
“I didn’t mean it like that!”
Maddie laughed even harder. Clark sighed and figured he could do with a little embarrassment if it made this poor kid smile.
There was a bark, and Shelby ran into the barn. Lex took a step back.
“Hey, Shelby!” Clark walked over to his dog.
Maddie smiled and ran over to the dog to ruffle his fur.
“Hey boy, good doggie,” she whispered into his ear. Then there was that humming sound again, behind them. Ignoring it for the moment, Clark smiled, knelt down beside her, and gave Shelby a pet.
“Yeah, he can be a good dog when he wants to be. Getting kinda old. You know, Maddie you and I have a lot more in common than you think. I was an orphan too. I lost my parents when I was just a baby, and the Kents adopted me.” He gave Shelby another pet. “Looks like Shelby likes you. Animals are great, aren't they? They listen to you, don't say mean things back. Look, I might not be as furry as Shelby or wag my tail or bark, but I promise I'll never say mean things to you.”
He caught Lex out of the corner of his eye making that face where he was trying not to laugh and smushing his lips together. Clark bit his lip. Maddie made no pretensions. She looked back at Lex, who shrugged and nodded to her encouragingly.
“Do you want to go see the horses? Or we could play with Shelby some more until dinner,” Clark offered.
Maddie hugged Shelby and raised her brows at Lex.
“I’m not really a dog person,” Lex admitted. “They all growl at me. Give me a cat any day.”
She grinned and then very softly said, “I like cats a lot, too.”
“We don’t have any barn cats around. We had this one tom that used to run around here and mark Nell’s house, but he died about three years back,” Clark said.
“We can go see the horses,” Maddie said, standing and moving back towards Lex.
“Don’t curb your plans on my account.” He stepped towards Maddie and received a growl from Shelby.
“Why is he doing that?”
Lex shrugged. “Dogs don’t like me.”
“Hold your hand out. I bet if he sniffs you, he’ll trust you more. Dogs read you first to see how to react,” Maddie advised.
“That’s perfectly alright. I’m good over here,” Lex said, stepping back. Maddie smiled at him and followed.
”Scared.”
”I’m not scared. I just don’t particularly like being bitten by an animal that large.”
Maddie continued to smile knowingly. “Will you ride with us?”
“I don’t think we have time to ride before dinner.”
“Are you scared of horses too?”
“I’m not scared of horses, and I’m not scared of dogs,” Lex insisted. Clark chuckled. Lex shot him a glare.
“Then you’ll ride with us,” Maddie insisted.
“Well, I could call my doctors, but I’m guessing that would be a hell no from both Toby and Tanaka.”
“Oh, right,” Clark said. “Yeah, it wouldn’t be good for Lex to ride, Maddie. He’s had some trouble with his blood pressure. It would be really bad if it dropped and he fell from the horse.”
“Oh no.” Maddie frowned with concern and moved closer to Lex, holding his arm. “Can you go up in the loft?”
“If Clark promises to catch me when I swoon,” Lex replied raising his brows at Clark.
“Oh, milady, your faints are perfectly safe. I shall be your gentleman to the fullest,” Clark said. Maddie giggled as she bounded up the stairs into the loft.
Lex headed up to the telescope and looked in it. “Well. Guess what Maddie. You can see my house from here.”
She went over to the telescope to look, as Lex shot Clark a dubious gaze. The telescope was aimed right at his office.
“Do you really live in a castle? Oh! Wow! Lucky!”
“You can be lucky, too, Maddie. It's not too late. We're gonna find you a good family,” Clark assured her.
“People don't like me.” She frowned a little, still looking around with the telescope.
“People don’t like me either, and I manage,” Lex said. Maddie looked up.
“Then people are dumb. How can they not like you? Did you know, Clark, that if you had a more powerful telescope, you could look right into Lex’s office? I bet you could catch him sleeping on the couch. Or changing or something.”
“Ahh haha…” Clark laughed in embarrassment.
Lex snorted.
Clark turned his head a little, feeling himself blush. “Well, uh… those people are crazy. I like you. I like both of you.”
“Maybe you’re crazy, too,” Lex suggested with amusement.
“More and more possible every day.” Clark moved away from them onto the couch. Lex got up from where he was crouching, rubbing his abdomen and looking a bit dizzy. Clark lifted his head and asked, “You okay?”
“Fine,” he snapped. Then he rubbed the corners of his eyes in annoyance at himself. “I’m just a little lightheaded. We’re not hitting collapsing time yet.”
“Come sit down.” Clark patted the seat next to him. Lex raised a brow before walking over there and slowly taking a seat, where Clark reached over and started to rub his neck with one hand. Lex leaned back and made a pleased noise. Behind the telescope, Maddie was watching them sneakily with a big smile on her face.
“Dad said you brought us ice cream. I take it that means your day was awesome?” Clark asked a little sarcastically.
“Ugh. That’s really all I can say. That, and well, ice cream is awesome, and you missed out last time we went.”
Clark winced. It didn’t seem like a dig, but it hurt anyway. Then, well, there it was. That wonderful musky scent, drifting into his nostrils, making him want to curl around Lex and protect him from everything. Suddenly, his arm was around Lex, and he was sniffing his neck brazenly, as his heart quickened and his cheeks flushed. He couldn’t help it. He had to touch him had to love him had to have him RIGHT NOW. The need made him shake. Lex stiffened in his arms and turned his head to say something to him.
Clark met his lips with a kiss.
***
Well, that negates my diminishing alien hormone theory, Lex thought, trying to pull away. The problem was, now he was caught up in Clark’s scent, and he didn’t want to get away. He wanted Clark to hold him and love him. He wanted Clark to be his rock and keep him safe from harm. He wanted Clark to be there for him and his baby so much it made his teeth ache and shivers run up his spine. Even as he tried to pull away, he pressed into the kiss, into Clark’s arms.
I’m turning into such a damn woman. Look at me. Crying all over the place, getting emotional at work, trying to bond with this kid… kissing Clark… Lex heard a little gasp and wondered if Maddie had caught them. They were probably traumatizing her. Wait till the Social Services boys got a hold of this one.
Clark’s arm held Lex tightly in place and the other hand cupped his face a little more gently. Their lips undulated together, sloppy open kisses. Lex was the first to begin slipping his tongue along the inside of Clark’s lip, and once he’d gained entry, he began exploring the taste and texture of Clark’s mouth as dutifully as any proper scientist should.
But soon enough Lex realized that if he didn’t stop this, they would really be traumatizing Maddie by stripping their clothing off. He began to pull away again, this time with a little more control, now that he had his daily dose of Clark.
“Need to breathe!” Lex said, hoping Clark’s sudden care for him would extend past making out like horny teenagers.
Apparently, it did, as Clark pulled away and caressed the back of Lex’s head with his fingertips, looking into his eyes with both adoration and confusion. Lex turned to look for Maddie, who didn’t appear traumatized at all, but instead was about to die of giggling as she leaned against the railing, hands covering her mouth.
“Sorry about that.”
She simply giggled.
“Hey, guys! Dinner time!” Lana called from the floor of the barn. Clark’s eyes bulged, and he looked like he’d just gotten his hand smacked for dipping into the cookie jar.
“We’re coming,” Lex called. Ugh. “Down!”
Clark attentively helped him to his feet, and Lex let him, careful to keep his features blank as he descended the stairs to face Lana. Clark was going to look red-faced and guilty no matter what, but Lex at least could manage a façade of propriety. On the way down, Maddie slipped between them and took his hand. The three of them descended the stairs together, and Lana’s face became an unreadable, cold mask.
Once down the stairs, Clark walked up to Lana and walked beside her. He made a move to put his hand on her shoulder, but chickened out. After a few minutes of silence, Clark dropped back and walked on the other side of Maddie.
“Lucky girl,” Lana said as they entered the house. “Got both these boys all over you.”
Maddie said nothing and followed Lex into the kitchen. He made sure that Maddie sat beside him. “Want some milk?”
She nodded.
“I got it, Lex,” Jonathan said. When Clark entered the dining room, Jonathan turned to him. “Chloe called back. Oh, and we have another guest. Good thing I made too much. All of Martha’s recipes make too much.”
Clark grinned. “That’s so we can have leftovers. And because when I was growing up, I ate like a horse.”
“Y’still do,” Lois said, coming in. “Hey! Martha told me you were having some trouble. With her chief of staff gone, she asked me to come by and help. Martha said you were an artist, Maddie. I brought crayons and a coloring book!”
Lois stepped forward and shoved them in Maddie’s face. Lex reached out with one hand and shoved them back. “That’s great, but it’s dinner time. You can teach Maddie to color outside the lines after she eats.”
“Settle down, kids,” Jonathan demanded, pointing at the table. Lois and Lana seated themselves, and Clark moved towards the door.
“Lemme just call Chloe back?”
“That’s rude,” Lois said. “Sit your butt down and eat.”
Jonathan stared at her. She began busily focusing on the placement of her napkin.
“Go ahead. It’s important,” Jonathan told him. Clark left, and Jonathan put the casserole dish on the table. “Right, so we have Martha’s macaroni casserole, baked chicken, and broccoli and cauliflower. I made it exactly to the recipe, so let’s hope it’s edible.”
Lex grinned. “It smells fine to me.”
“Maybe we should have Lex taste-test it. He’ll be the first darting for the bathroom if it’s not okay,” Jonathan joked.
“God, isn’t that the truth.” Lex picked up the macaroni dish and began putting a little on Maddie’s plate. “How much do you want?”
She nodded when it was enough, and Lois and Lana gaped, watching Lex set her plate up for her before he did his own. Jonathan grinned and passed the plates around. When Clark came back, he found the only seat was in between Lana and Lois.
“Chloe say anything interesting?” Lois asked.
”She’s uh, we called her when they brought Maddie over to check out her history. You haven’t met Chloe, but she’s pretty genius at finding connections that normal people wouldn’t see.”
“Damn straight she does,” Lex said cutting up his chicken
“Language,” Lana admonished.
“She’s already heard me say worse. Not intentionally. It’s not like she’s going to swear at you,” Lex returned. He looked over to make sure Maddie was navigating her chicken all right. She had set down the fork and begun picking the meat off with her fingers. Lex reached over and got her a few napkins.
“Anyway, she was just telling me what she’d found from Maddie’s records and um… we have nothing so far… It’s taking a little while because of her hurt wrist, but I’m sure she’ll figure it out.”
Maddie smiled at him gratefully.
The meal went fairly smoothly, with only a few barbs between Lex, Lois, and Lana. Jonathan began to clean up the dishes, and Clark stopped his hand. “My turn.”
”I’ll help,” Lex offered, wiping his hands.
Clark let his jaw drop with mock surprise. “You can wash dishes?”
“Fancy private schools like Excelsior usually just punish their brats with chores. I had more KP duty than a clumsy private in the army.”
“Why don’t I get it? I haven’t been helping much, and you guys have been babysitting Maddie all afternoon,” Lana suggested.
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want to mess up Lex’s manicure,” Lois added, grabbing some dishes awkwardly.
“Okay,” Clark said uneasily, watching Lois maul the dishes. The remaining four went into the living room to sit a bit before breaking out the ice cream.
“So, Maddie, you like the farm life?” Lex asked her, sitting on the couch with her. She smiled and leaned against him. Lex couldn’t help but smile back and feel warm. He couldn’t believe this kid liked him. “My parents owned a ranch in Montana, once. We used to go out there, work with the hands. Clean up after the horses. Milk cows.”
Jonathan snorted.
“I loved it!” Lex protested. “Well, I was just a kid then, but until I was about ten, I didn’t exactly get outside much. My mom would get me an allergy shot and take me to the ranch so I could run around with the animals like a normal kid.”
“I wonder how much you’d love it, if that were your job,” Jonathan said.
Lex shrugged. “It’s not a bad job. It’s a precarious one, financially speaking, but I think it’s worth doing. Especially since you’re one of the few farmers around here who doesn’t use the meteor rocks to grow your food.”
“You’d get bored with it,” Jonathan said with certainty.
“I get bored running a company sometimes,” Lex admitted.
“So you run for office?”
Lex gave a dry laugh. “I didn’t run because I was bored. And despite what my father thinks, I didn’t run for vanity, either. There are several issues coming up for the senate that I wanted to be involved in. Also, I turned 25. Might as well get some experience now.”
“I kind of wondered about that,” Clark said. Lex shrugged.
“You never asked me why I was running. Not that it matters now. I hope Martha has the sense to see the issues the way I did, but I have no idea, really, since she wasn’t debating against me.”
“I didn’t ever know what the hell you were talking about in the debates,” Jonathan retorted.
Lex cringed. “Sorry. I was nervous. It’s easier to hid behind a mask of twenty dollar words when you aren’t feeling confident.”
“Don’t know what you had to be nervous about.”
“As soon as you announced your candidacy, people started resurrecting all of these old lies about me. It was unnerving to be on the stage with you when your ethos centers on Honorable Family Man and despite my best efforts, mine still centers on Deviant of Multiple Varieties.” Lex shook his head. “I was going for Progressive, but what can you do.”
“I never sponsored those ads slamming you, Lex,” Jonathan argued.
“I know. You wouldn’t have run that kind of campaign.” Lex smiled slightly. “If you ran disparaging ads against me, they would be completely true.”
Jonathan laughed.
Lex felt the wave nausea before he recognized the smell. He put his hand to his lips and tried to will his stomach to behave.
”Wow, Lex, you just got really pale,” Clark remarked, leaning over to get a better look at him. Lois strolled back into room wiping her hands.
“Did… someone just put on coffee?” he asked softly, almost afraid to open his mouth.
Lois frowned at him. “Yeah, Lana did while we were taking care of the dish- Lex?”
He was bolting from the room as fast as he could. This was going to be bad.
***
Clark followed Lex slowly to the bathroom and listened for him. Then immediately pulled back on the superhearing because Lex was clearly puking up dinner, lunch, breakfast, and possibly his kidneys and a portion of his lower intestine.
“Uh, are you okay?” Clark asked unnecessarily.
Lex paused gagging for a moment, then yelled out with more than a little aggravation, “Yeah, could you come in here and hold my hair?”
Lois cackled. Lex had been loud enough that they could hear him in the other room. Maddie came forward, looking worried. She drew near Clark and whispered, “Is he going to be okay?”
“Oh, probably. He’s just been sick lately. He was having a hard time keeping things down. Maybe that hasn’t cleared up as much as we thought.”
She gave him a nervous look and leaned against his side. Clark automatically reached up with one hand and began to pet her hair.
“Oh… what happened?” Lana said ingenuously as she came out of the kitchen. Clark turned to her with a glare.
“I think the smell of the coffee made Lex sick.”
“Why are you looking at me like that? How could I possibly know the smell of coffee made him yak? He used to drink two or three double cappuccinos a day!” She creased her forehead and stomped back into the kitchen.
“Everyone else feel okay?” Jonathan asked. “It could’ve been my cooking.”
“Well, I’ve got an iron gut. Nothing makes me puke,” Lois declared. “Except Swedish Meatballs. Yuck.”
Clark heard water running. “Back up, guys.”
Lois went back into the living room. Lex came out slowly, holding a lavender handkerchief over his mouth and nose.
“Air,” he said simply, making a beeline for the door. Clark got out of his way. Then moments later, he and Maddie followed Lex out and sat with him on the front steps. Lex was breathing through the handkerchief. “Sorry, Clark. I just needed to get away from that smell.”
Clark rubbed his back. “Feeling a little better?”
“Ugh.”
“Want to come in for ice cream? Once we clear the coffee smell?”
“Not really, Clark. With the way my stomach feels, I don’t want to risk it. I like that ice cream too much to be put off from it later because I’m sick.”
Clark smiled and kissed the back of his head. “Thanks for bringing it though. And thanks for staying to help.”
“No problem.”
“I’m going to get you some water.” Clark got up and left them on the steps. Moving back into the living room, where Lana was serving coffee, he leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen and sighed. “Sorry, Lana. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. I was just trying to be considerate.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just hard watching him not really getting any better when we don’t really know what’s wrong.”
“You could ask Chloe. She’s the one who always finds these things out, isn’t she?” Lana suggested, turning her head from him slightly.
Clark thought about it. “I guess… hm. I hadn’t thought to ask. I just figured if it was find-out-able, she would find out and tell me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Lana commented lightly. She sipped her coffee slowly.
“You don’t think Chloe can? Or you don’t think Chloe would tell?” Lois asked. “Cause… number one, my little cousin can find anything out.”
“I don’t know, Lois.” Lana waved her hand. “Do you want me to pour out the rest of the coffee? I figured Mr. Kent and Lex would be drinking a few cups.”
“Go ahead. I’ll break out the air fresheners.” Jonathan stood to go find them. Clark went into the kitchen to get a bottle of water and his cell phone.
“Hey, Chloe.” He stepped outside and sat beside Lex, who had his head in his hands, still holding the handkerchief in place. Clark poked his shoulder with the bottle of water.
“Any news on our little foundling?” Chloe asked. He could hear her pecking at the keyboard.
“Not other than what I told you before. Hey, can I ask you something? I mean, you really don’t have to answer, but I’d like to hear your side.”
Lex sipped the water and looked at Clark in askance.
“Shoot,” Chloe chirruped.
“What were you and Lana fighting about?”
“Um… yeah, that’s kind of personal.”
“Well, she hasn’t mentioned it at all, and I’m kind of wondering. She’s been acting weird. And just now she insinuated that if I asked you to help me figure out why Lex is sick, you either couldn’t do it or wouldn’t tell me what was going on?” He waited and frowned when Chloe said nothing. “Did Lana ask you to help her figure out why Lex is sick? Why would she care?”
“Clark…”
“Did you figure it out?”
Now Lex was looking at him intently with wide eyes.
“You’d at least tell Lex, right?”
“Lex knows as much as I know at this point, Clark. I’d tell him if I cracked the case. I’m not talking to Lana because it’s none of her damn business what’s wrong with Lex. He’s not her boyfriend; they’re not even friends anymore. I should have told her that when she got all creepy on me about it!” she insisted in a distressed voice. “Spirit of the stairway, or whatever.”
Clark looked to Lex. “She said she’s not telling Lana anything because it’s none of her business. Sorry, you looked worried.”
“Can I… speak to her?”
“Wait, is Lex there?” Chloe asked. “I feel like the two of you are setting me up or something. Stoppit! If you want to know something, ASK LEX!”
The last part was shouted so loudly that both Lex and Maddie jumped. Lex motioned for Clark to give him the phone.
“Chloe?”
“Jesus Christ,” she sighed in frustration.
“No, it’s Lex.”
“Funny. Look, I haven’t told anyone anything. It’s nobody’s business but yours, okay?”
“What do you think that you know?”
“I don’t want to say on a cell phone, but I know that you’re going to be shopping for binkies pretty soon. Other than that, I think I know everything that you do.”
Clark watched Lex’s face grow tight. What the hell was a binky?
“I appreciate your discretion.”
”I figured I’d only be telling Clark if, you know, Milton Fine reappeared and things got dangerous. I mean, he can be clueless, but after a certain point, he’s not going to need to be told.”
Lex took a deep breath.
“That probably didn’t help, did it?”
“Not really, but… alright then. You didn’t tell Lana anything?”
“I told her that your lackey Mercy was buying you herbal tea instead of coffee.”
“Did you tell her why?”
“No, I wouldn’t tell her that you’re-“
“No, I mean, did you tell her what coffee is doing to me?”
“That it makes you yak? Yeah. Did that… did she figure it out?” she asked in surprise.
“No, she just brewed a pot of coffee to spite me.” Lex rubbed his forehead. “The anticipated reaction occurred.”
“Ew! Uh, sorry.”
“I’m fine. Well, now that my stomach is empty. Thank you, Chloe, again.”
“I’m still looking into it. In case I find anything… Wall of Weird Worthy.”
“Beyond the obvious?”
“This is by far not the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Besides, the more I research this, the more I find that… this happens.”
“Really?” Lex looked over to Clark. “Sorry, I’m stealing your minutes.”
“Clark has free calls after seven,” Chloe answered immediately.
“Can we talk about this another time? I’d like to hear about those other cases.”
“Uh… sure. If they aren’t going to squick you out.”
“Nothing is more disgusting than coffee right now. Which is a sad thing, since I used to breathe the stuff.”
She laughed. “Okay, does Clark have anything else he wants to say? I’m still digging on the Maddie Van Horn case.”
Lex offered the phone back to Clark.
“Thanks, Chloe. Sorry for prying.”
“I’ve gotten more ‘sorries’ tonight than, I think, the entire time I’ve known you. Have I gotten Lana in trouble?”
“Don’t worry about it. She’s just digging herself a deeper hole now.”
“God, the never ending Clark/Lana soap opera,” she groaned. “Confront her you passive-aggressive little girl!”
“Bye, Chloe.”
“Bye.”
Then Clark and Lex looked at one another.
“She made Lex sick on purpose,” Maddie complained.
“She isn’t going to get away with that,” Clark said, standing.
Lex put a hand on Clark’s leg. ”Clark, she will deny it to her dying day. Don’t start this now.”
“But…” Clark huffed. “Come back inside.”
“No, I think I’m just going to go home.”
“Can I come with you?” Maddie asked.
“I think Social Services would want you here.”
“Please?”
Lex looked up at Clark, who practically picked Lex up onto his feet. “Stay, Lex. Don’t let her run you away.”
“I’m tired. I’m just going to fall asleep on you.”
“You could stay the night,” Maddie suggested.
“No, I really couldn’t.”
Together the two of them pulled him inside. Lex raised the handkerchief again, just in case.
“Oh, yay, it’s the puke-machine,” Lois muttered. Maddie glared at her. The windows shook. Clark looked at them anxiously. Lex was rubbing her back and telling her to stay calm. The windows stopped.
“Good to see you’re feeling better, Lex,” Lana said with a friendly smile.
“Yeah, more or less. I’m going to head home, as soon as these two let me,” Lex muttered, giving Clark and Maddie a sideways glance.
“Well, maybe you should go. You look pretty pale, Lex,” she suggested with sugary sweet fake concern and reached over to touch Lex’s shoulder.
Her mug shattered in her hand. Lana screamed.
“I’m sorry!” Maddie pressed her hands over her head and backed away.
Lex wrapped her in his arms and said soothingly, “It’s okay, Maddie. You’re okay. Just stay calm, alright?” He turned his head sharply and ordered, “Clark, take care of Lana! Is she cut?”
Jonathan ran to the other room and returned with a few towels. Clark knelt beside her and inspected her hand. “It’s not bad.”
”Did you see that?” Lana demanded. “Did she do that?”
“She can talk?” Lois asked.
“Everyone calm down. Hold still, Lana, I need to get some ice. You’re more burned than cut.” Jonathan pressed the towel against her lap and left again.
“She’s a monster, Clark. She shatters glass!” Lana said stridently.
“She’s not a monster,” Lex replied firmly. “She got upset, and she can’t always control it, that’s all.”
“You knew?” Lana’s voice raised an octave. “When were you going to tell us about that?”
“Try never. Something she tells me in confidence stays there, Lana.”
“So… you were upset with Naomi?” Lois asked, stepping away from her. The windows started to shake. Maddie started to whimper.
“She can’t do it through walls, Lois. It wasn’t her fault,” Lex explained in a firm voice.
“You should have told us, Lex,” Clark said in a quiet, suspicious voice.
“She didn’t do it, Clark,” Lex shot back. “She’s not a murderer. She’s just a kid!”
“That’s a lot more naivety than I expected from you, Luthor. Don't let her rosy cheeks and saucer eyes sway you. That girl's one step short of the demon seed,” Lois said.
Jonathan returned with the ice and pressed it against Lana’s hand. “Hold this. Now, what the hell are you shouting about?”
“Lex knew that she had a glass shattering power,” Lana said heatedly. “He knew. You put us all in danger!”
“Having an ability doesn’t make her a killer,” Clark said finally. “Everyone cut it out.”
Lex moved Maddie away from them, and she clung to him anxiously. “You’re the one putting us in danger, you selfish twit. Can you not hear the windows? Calm down so she can calm down.”
“You just want to take her away and study her,” Lana accused breathily. Clark looked at Lex and frowned, wondering if that could be why Lex had been so interested in bonding with her.
“I swear, I don’t even know why I bother with you people.” Lex grabbed Maddie’s hand and shot out the door. Clark followed him.
“Lex, wait.”
“If that’s what you think of me, Clark, you can go fuck yourself,” Lex snapped and walked more quickly.
“Wait!”
“Lex!” Maddie looked up at the both of them.
“She hurt Lana!” Clark protested.
“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Maddie pleaded.
“I’m getting her away from them. She can’t control it if the people around her can’t control themselves,” Lex stated, pressing the auto lock. “Get in, Maddie. You can spend the night at the castle, then we’ll find a home for you, I promise.”
He shot Clark an infuriated look before he sped off. Clark stood there confused and upset. He headed back inside to straighten things out before he went to the castle to talk things out with Lex. Maddie would probably be safer with Lex anyway, and he needed some time to cool off.
“Where did he go?” Lana asked.
”He’s taking Maddie to the castle. It’s probably a good idea. There isn’t anything that she can break there that he can’t afford to replace.”
“Except for Lex,” Lois pointed out abrasively. “He could get seriously hurt, the dumb ass!”
“She trusts him, and she feels safe with him-” Clark said.
“She must have no instinct whatsoever,” Lana muttered, sulking over her hand.
“Which means she won’t be out of control around him. Give me some credit guys, and if you won’t give it to me, give it to Lex. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Yeah, taking her to his lab to find out how her powers work,” Lana shot back.
“That’s completely baseless, Lana!”
“It wasn’t so baseless when you said it,” she pointed out.
“I was infected with a meteor rock at the time. I was paranoid.”
“Well, those fears came from somewhere.”
“I also thought that random black trucks were following me around, my parents were selling me to Lionel Luthor, and you were conspiring with Lex about an alien spaceship. Oh wait. You were.”
“Um, aren’t we getting off track…” Lois asked.
“We aren’t getting anywhere standing around accusing each other,” Jonathan boomed, stepping into the middle of the circle.
Clark looked down. Really he was just feeling guilty for the kneejerk reaction he’d had to the suggestion of Lex experimenting on people. He might cross the line sometimes, but Lex had never hurt anyone who hadn’t moved against him first, as far as Clark knew, and he’d never done experimental treatments unless he was trying to help, misguided or not. Most of all, Clark was just smarting because he’d forgotten momentarily exactly how Lex had bonded with Maddie. That was the truth. Lex hardly ever gave that much of himself, not for a plan, or a scheme. He’d done it for her, probably because she was small and scared, as he had been, with no one to help or to talk to.
“I’ve got to go to the castle and talk to him. Lana, Lois, maybe you guys should go home. If you’re right, Lex is in danger. If Lex is right, they’re both in danger.”
Lois nodded. “C’mon, let’s get out of the way. Sorry I wasn’t more help.”
Lana huffed a little before she left.
“Damn, that girl was in a snit tonight,” Jonathan picked up the phone. “I’m gonna call your mother, leave her a message about what’s going on. Go check up on Lex. The boy wasn’t looking so well, and I dunno if he should be driving.”
“I’ll catch up with him.”
“On foot? Or you taking the truck?”
“Foot would be better, but what would I say when I got there?” Clark went to get the keys. “Be careful, Dad.”
“You too, son.”
Clark bounded out to the truck and headed towards the Luthor mansion, speeding more than a little. He almost missed seeing Lex’s car on the side of the road and had to hang a U-turn and head back. Pulling the truck up beside Lex’s black Lamborghini and jumping out, his heart jumped seeing the windows shattered out of the car, and he ran around the side looking for Lex and Maddie.
There he was, laying face down on the ground with shards of glass sticking out of his back. He was bleeding. A lot. Clark ran to his side and noticed that Lex had his gun drawn.
”Lex! Lex?” Clark knelt beside him and listened for his heartbeat. Still there, but slow, and that other sound was there as well, the one he couldn’t place. Whooshing away. Almost like… Clark sighed, decided to put that on the backburner for the moment, and called for an ambulance.
”Maddie…” Lex groaned softly.
“I know, she… I’m sorry, Lex.” Clark was a little floored to think she would have hurt him. She seemed to have clung to him so quickly.
“He has her… shot him…”
Clark stiffened. “What? Someone took her?”
Lex lifted his lids just a bit.
“Did she do this to stop him? Oh! This is the guy!”
Lex moved his lips a little bit. Blood trickled down his lips. “Save her…”
“I’ll try, Lex. Just hang on.” Clark trailed his fingers down Lex’s lax face. His eyes were growing wide and wet. “Does it hurt?”
“God, Clark… if he hurts her, after… after this…”
“We’ll get him. I promise, just hang on.” Clark looked at the glass in his back and bit his lip. It was all he could do to keep from pulling it out himself. He took Lex’s right hand in his own and squeezed it as he waited for the ambulance to come.