LLAR Part 12
Dec. 19th, 2004 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
serafina20Even though I never finished answering feedback on the last part, here's the next. Tomorrow, hopefully I keep rewriting COTW 48. Or, the next part of the Lost series. Why can't I be like a normal writer and not write series?
Previous Parts
"Clark? Clark, honey, wake up."
Lex stirred as Martha's voice invaded his dream. He groaned softly and rubbed his eyes, trying to blink the early morning stickiness from them. "Martha?" he said. He pushed himself up on his elbow and opened his eyes.
Martha was kneeling next to the bed, holding Clark's cell phone. She was fully dressed, unlike Clark and him, and her hair glowed as the morning sun streamed in through the opened window. "Morning, Lex," she said with a soft smile. "Sleep well?"
There was no hint of innuendo in her voice, no hint of her being uncomfortable or upset to find her baby boy naked in bed with his fiancee. Of course, it seemed like Lex was the only one who got embarrassed about it, and he wished he knew why. He never used to be like this; when he was younger, he didn't care what people thought about him.
But he did care what the Kents thought of him. After all, he was deeply in love with their son.
"Yes, I did thank you." Then, careful not to dislodge the covers from around him, he shoved Clark. "Babe, wake up."
"Don't want to," Clark grumbled, rolling onto his stomach. He pulled a pillow over his head and burrowed into the soft mattress.
Lex rolled his eyes and shoved again. "Get *up*, dork. You have a phone call."
Martha added her own hand to the shaking of the superhero. "This isn't funny, young man," she said in what Lex was certain was her "mother" voice. "Up. Now."
The tone worked. Clark immediately sat up, covers still on his lower half. He groped blindly for the phone, blinking slowly, still half-asleep. "Sorry, Mom," he yawned. His hand closed over the phone. "Hello?" Clark scrubbed as his face with the back of his hand, listening to the speaker on the other line.
Color drained from his face suddenly. His eyes widened, postured straightened, and he started listening to the speaker attentively.
"How bad is it?" Clark asked, voice graveled.
Somehow, without knowing who Clark was speaking to, without even hearing the speaker's voice, Lex knew who it was. And he suspected what was wrong.
Oh God, he wasn't ready. He didn't even know how he was supposed to feel about it.
Lex grabbed his pajama bottoms from the floor and squirmed into them under the covers. Almost decent, he rose from the bed, pulling his robe on. He was sweating in the cold morning, and his stomach twisted and writhed inside of him as Clark got the details of.... of what, Lex could only imagine.
Finally, Clark nodded and said, "Okay. I'll be out there soon. Thank you for calling, Quentin." He hung up and lowered the phone to his lap. He wouldn't meet Lex's eyes, but Lex didn't think it was deliberate. Clark's entire posture spoke of sorrow, and it pained Lex to remember think that the man Lex viewed as the destroyer of his world was one of the things that held Clark's together.
"What's wrong?" Lex managed to ask through a tight throat.
Clark sniffed. His hand rubbed at his nose slowly, almost absently. "Morgan as pneumonia. Quentin said that the doctors aren't sure if he'll make it." Now he did look up, and his blue green eyes were very bright. "His lungs are weak because of the smoking. And he's old."
Lex rubbed his sweaty palms on his robe. "I'm sorry." Because he was. He didn't want his love to be in pain, would never have asked for this. Not now. Especially not now.
He got a pained smile from Clark. "Thanks." Clark grabbed his boxers and slid them on under the covers. His shirt was next, and after he kissed his mother on the cheek, Clark climbed out of bed. "Do you mind?" he asked Lex. "I thought I should go out and just..." Clark's voice trailed off.
How could he mind? Was he even allowed to mind? Morgan was his father, and Lex had done nothing but reject him from the beginning. Clark loved him like a son--okay, maybe not a *son*, but he loved Morgan better than Lex. It *mattered* to Clark whether Morgan lived or died, while Lex didn't...
His breath caught and he looked away. "No, I don't mind," he managed. "You go. I'll come back to town, too."
"There's no need..."
"I want to go home." Or something. He didn't know what he wanted anymore.
"Baby..."
"Just go, Clark." He looked back at Clark and tried for a smile. "Take the all the time you need with him. I'll see you tonight."
"Lex." Clark reached for him, but Lex pulled away.
Clark's arms fell back to his sides. He sighed and glanced at his mother. "I guess... I'll go wash up and say bye to Dad. Sorry, Mom."
"It's okay, honey," she said, but she didn't sound like it was okay. "But I want both you boys to visit again very soon." She crossed the room to Lex and put her arm around him. "We have a wedding to plan."
"Yeah." Clark kissed his mother on the cheek, but didn't bother to try and kiss Lex. Which was good, because Lex didn't want to be kissed right now. "I'll call you tonight. See you at home, Lex."
"Bye." He stood stiffly, not able to really look at his fiancee as he dressed and left for the house. When Clark was gone, he sat on the couch. "Um. I don't have to stick around very long."
"Don't be silly, Lex, you're family. I'll make you some breakfast." But she just sat on the couch next to him instead of going back into the house. "You don't have to stay out here you know. When you come over."
He shrugged. "It helped me sleep better, actually. Besides." He blushed. "I mean. You know."
"I never had to deal with parents, actually. Jonathan's father died very soon after he and I met. His mother went soon after, and my parents all but disowned me after I married Jonathan, so... We've never had this stress." She rested her cheek on the back of the couch and smiled. "But I wouldn't worry about it too much, darling. You are young and in love, and neither Jonathan or I will hold it against you."
"Thanks," he said, fidgeting with the tie of his robe. "So, um. Do you know Morgan?"
Her face hardened, just like he expected it too. Despite his own reaction to the news, he'd managed to catch Martha's as well. There was a lot of anger there. Frustration, too. He couldn't quite catch the whole story, but the Kents were good at keeping their secrets.
"Yes, I do. I met him the day after Clark left for Europe."
Lex frowned, not quite seeing the connection.
Martha smiled with a self-deprecating look and added, "I knew Morgan had given Clark the money. Or, rather, Clark had... earned the money during his summer with Morgan. I just never expected him to use any of it, at least not like that. When he left, I went to the city and managed to contact Morgan. We met over lunch."
"How did it go?"
"About how I expected. He was very polite, very much a gentleman. He let me throw every harsh word I had at him without saying anything. He listened, took my anger, and..." She shook her head. "But he couldn’t change anything. Clark was so grown up when he came back from Metropolis. Different and quiet and withdrawn. He never adjusted to life here, could never get interested in school or any activities. Mostly, he hung out with Chloe, read, and worked on the farm. He was so quiet. I knew we were going to lose him, and we did."
"But he's fine now."
"Well, yes. He left Smallville after he turned to seventeen. When he passed his GED, he packed his things and left. I knew that Morgan had given him the money, although sometimes he stayed in hostels and did the traditional starving student route." She smiled thinly. "I wanted to hate him. I mean, I do hate him. He hired a sixteen year old boy to sleep with him. He helped Clark grow up too quickly and see and do things that he never should have seen or done. Clark left my little boy and he came back a stranger. But, at the same time, he loves my son. Even I could see that."
Lex knew it wasn't his fault. He hadn’t asked for Morgan to be his father, hadn't asked for his involvement. He desperately wished that he had nothing to do with the man, if only to give Martha the peace of mind of not having to have him in her life. Because that's why Morgan was back in Clark's, after all; because of him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Martha took his hand. "Lex, none of this is your fault. In fact, I feel guilty that I can't get over this, if only because the man is your father. I know how much Clark needs for you to be able to accept that, and I understand why. I may not like Morgan Edge, but I trust Clark's instincts. If he says that Morgan truly loves you, then he must. If Clark thinks that it'd be good for you to know your real father, then I'll agree with him. My problem with Morgan is the fact that he took advantage of a sixteen-year-old boy who was in pain, but I can only look at it from a mother's perspective. And the fact is, Clark survived and grew and is a wonderful man. I can't complain at how anything has turned out."
I can, Lex couldn't help thinking. Sometimes, he wondered what would have happened if he'd found Clark instead of Morgan. He had no doubt that he still would have fallen in love; Clark was too perfect for it not to have happened. And, maybe, had they met earlier, the suicide attempt never would have happened, and the years of living in pain and loneliness could have been avoided.
If only...
But there was no use dreaming what might have beens. There was only what was, and what was was his father dying in a hospital while Lex waded through years of pain and anguish in an attempt to live.
"I need to go," he said suddenly. "I have something important to do."
Martha nodded. She took his hand and squeezed it. "Come back soon, baby."
"I will. I promise."
* * *
Clark left the hospital disheartened. Morgan had only been awake for about ten minutes of his visit, and he'd told Clark that he'd called his lawyer to start changing his will. It hurt and was frightening, but Morgan looked really... bad, so it was probably the wisest course. Clark still held hope that Morgan might pull through, but, then, he was an optimist. Morgan was not.
He pulled his cell phone out and dialed Lex.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby. I just left the hospital. Are you still set on coming home?"
"I'm driving as we speak." Lex turned the music in his car down. "How is he?"
"Bad." Clark rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down the street. "He's hooked up to about a million machines. He sounds horrible, looks horrible. We barely talked; mostly, he just slept."
"I'm sorry." And he did sound sorry. Conflicted, but sorry.
Clark managed a smile. "Thanks. So, when do you think you'll be home?"
"A few hours. I'll try to drive fast."
"Don't go too fast, Lex. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." His voice caught at the idea of losing Lex.
Lex's voice softened. "Nothing is going to happen, Clark. I love you."
"Me too." He hung up.
He was halfway down the street when a limo pulled up to the curb. Curious, he stopped, and wasn't very surprised when the door opened and Lois's head popped out. "Ken. Get in."
"I'm sorry, Lois, but you seem to have me confused with someone else," Clark said.
Her eyes narrowed fractionally. "I don’t think so. You're Lex's boytoy, Ken."
"I’m Lex's *fiancee*, yes." He stepped back from the curb. "Have a good day, Lois." Clark turned and started walking away.
"Kent," she snapped. "Get in now."
Fine. He was always curious to know what Lois was up to, especially since, right now, she was obsessed with getting into his fiancee's pants.
"Lois," he said as he settled comfortably into the limo. "Nice to see you again."
She gave him a bright smile. "You too, Ken."
And that was Lois. She'd won her battle, and she was planning on twisting that knife as much as she possibly could.
"Cigarette?"
"No, thank you."
She shrugged and lit up. "How's Morgan?"
He didn't ask how she knew about Morgan. Clark hadn't checked the papers or news yet; it could have been reported. After all, Morgan was a rather sensational figure, especially these days. "He's fine," Clark lied. The truth was too painful to share with her.
"Well. Have you ever thought about going back to him? Especially now that he needs someone to take care of him?"
"Um, no, not really. I’m with Lex now, and Morgan and I weren't ever really... together."
"Oh, I know. You were a prostitute and everything, I get that. But the two of you still seem close, so maybe there's a chance for the two of you have something meaningful."
Clark studied her carefully, but could glean nothing from the shiny, bland, beautiful face. "I’m with Lex."
"Right." She took a delicate drag on her cigarette and blew out a thin stream. "But you see, I want to be with Lex. And you're in my way of that, so I need to find a way to get you out of the way."
She was very blunt, wasn't she? But that was something that Lois was known for and, if Clark knew Lex, something that Lex loved about her. Well, loved and hated.
"I'm sorry, Lois, but Lex and I are getting married. We're in love, and he's not just going to leave me so he can be with you. And I am definitely not going to leave him to be with Morgan."
"I know that you're in love with him, Ken, but I'm really just trying to protect you." She looked sad, and her expression was beautiful in its perfection. "I talked with him recently and he said some things to me that led me to believe that he might not be quite as devoted to you as you are to him."
Clark's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
She leaned forward and put her hand on his knee. "He told me that the most erotic experience of his life was with Superman. And I know my Lex; when he admits something like that in the tone of voice he was using, his heart and soul is wrapped up in the experience." She pursed her lips and rubbed his knees, her eyes shining up into his. "I’m sure he loves you, Ken, in his own way. But he belongs to Superman, and you deserve someone who belongs to you."
Oh, Lex, you stupid, stupid man. *Why* did you tell her that? "Then why do you want him if his heart belongs to someone else?" he asked, managing to keep his voice steady.
Lois sat back and smiled sadly. "I have my reasons. I know Lex and I can make it work, and I willing to make compromises with him."
"You think that if you have Lex, you'll get Superman." Disgusting. And completely wrong. If Lex was inaccessible to Clark because he was with Lois, then Clark never would have made his move on Lex. Or, if he had, it would have been when Lois wasn't there. He was gay, after all.
"I think that if I have something Superman wants, and I can give him things that he needs that, yes, the three of us can come to a comfortable arrangement. After all, I am a woman, and Lex, well, Lex is a beautiful man."
This woman was so single minded, Clark honestly wondered how she managed to run her business. "I'm sorry, Lois, but you're wrong. Lex loves me. He belongs to me. You'll have to figure out how to snag Superman on your own." He tapped on the glass separating them from the driver.
The limo slowed to a stop.
"See you soon, Lois."
She smiled a beautiful and deadly smile, remind Clark of a snake. "Bye, Ken. Take care of yourself."
He didn't like her tone, but there was nothing else he could do. He'd said his piece as clearly as he could without telling her that Superman couldn’t stand her or her perfume or all the myriad of accidents she managed to get herself into just to get him to rescue her.
Maybe he should just tell her. Not that he was Superman. Maybe Superman should just tell her that nothing was ever going to happen, so she could just stop dreaming. It might make life easier.
But, then, it might make life worse. This was Lois Lane he was talking about. She had a hell of a lot of power, and he didn't want to piss her off. Especially since she was still experimenting with Kryptonite.
Clark sighed and rubbed his eyes, head aching. Damn, this was not what he wanted to deal with. Not Morgan, not Lois, not anything.
Feeling as if he'd been up for hours, Clark wearily trudged home.
* * *
He was so pale, so wasted against the pillow. He was nothing like the huge, quiet, solid of Lex's memories. Nothing like... Nothing like the way he should be.
Lex swallowed and rubbed his throat, feeling the ache. He wondered if he was getting sick. It'd been years since he'd actually been sick, but you never knew. You never...
And, anyway. Why would he be crying?
Morgan stirred. He coughed, a deep, phelmy, disgusting cough that sounded as if it hurt.
Lex pressed a glass of water into his hand and helped Morgan drink it.
"Thank you," Morgan whispered. His eyes opened and blurrily focused on Lex. He started. "Lex."
Lex nodded and rubbed his throat again. "Don't die," he said, almost snapping it. His tone was definitely far from encouraging or comforting, but he didn't feel either emotion, so it was no surprise.
"What?"
"Don't die." He shrugged. "I'm still working through issues, and you're the number on issue. If you die, I won't.... It'd be nice not to have this hole in me, Morgan."
"Lex..."
"Do not. Die." And Lex turned on his heel and left.
TBC...
Previous Parts
"Clark? Clark, honey, wake up."
Lex stirred as Martha's voice invaded his dream. He groaned softly and rubbed his eyes, trying to blink the early morning stickiness from them. "Martha?" he said. He pushed himself up on his elbow and opened his eyes.
Martha was kneeling next to the bed, holding Clark's cell phone. She was fully dressed, unlike Clark and him, and her hair glowed as the morning sun streamed in through the opened window. "Morning, Lex," she said with a soft smile. "Sleep well?"
There was no hint of innuendo in her voice, no hint of her being uncomfortable or upset to find her baby boy naked in bed with his fiancee. Of course, it seemed like Lex was the only one who got embarrassed about it, and he wished he knew why. He never used to be like this; when he was younger, he didn't care what people thought about him.
But he did care what the Kents thought of him. After all, he was deeply in love with their son.
"Yes, I did thank you." Then, careful not to dislodge the covers from around him, he shoved Clark. "Babe, wake up."
"Don't want to," Clark grumbled, rolling onto his stomach. He pulled a pillow over his head and burrowed into the soft mattress.
Lex rolled his eyes and shoved again. "Get *up*, dork. You have a phone call."
Martha added her own hand to the shaking of the superhero. "This isn't funny, young man," she said in what Lex was certain was her "mother" voice. "Up. Now."
The tone worked. Clark immediately sat up, covers still on his lower half. He groped blindly for the phone, blinking slowly, still half-asleep. "Sorry, Mom," he yawned. His hand closed over the phone. "Hello?" Clark scrubbed as his face with the back of his hand, listening to the speaker on the other line.
Color drained from his face suddenly. His eyes widened, postured straightened, and he started listening to the speaker attentively.
"How bad is it?" Clark asked, voice graveled.
Somehow, without knowing who Clark was speaking to, without even hearing the speaker's voice, Lex knew who it was. And he suspected what was wrong.
Oh God, he wasn't ready. He didn't even know how he was supposed to feel about it.
Lex grabbed his pajama bottoms from the floor and squirmed into them under the covers. Almost decent, he rose from the bed, pulling his robe on. He was sweating in the cold morning, and his stomach twisted and writhed inside of him as Clark got the details of.... of what, Lex could only imagine.
Finally, Clark nodded and said, "Okay. I'll be out there soon. Thank you for calling, Quentin." He hung up and lowered the phone to his lap. He wouldn't meet Lex's eyes, but Lex didn't think it was deliberate. Clark's entire posture spoke of sorrow, and it pained Lex to remember think that the man Lex viewed as the destroyer of his world was one of the things that held Clark's together.
"What's wrong?" Lex managed to ask through a tight throat.
Clark sniffed. His hand rubbed at his nose slowly, almost absently. "Morgan as pneumonia. Quentin said that the doctors aren't sure if he'll make it." Now he did look up, and his blue green eyes were very bright. "His lungs are weak because of the smoking. And he's old."
Lex rubbed his sweaty palms on his robe. "I'm sorry." Because he was. He didn't want his love to be in pain, would never have asked for this. Not now. Especially not now.
He got a pained smile from Clark. "Thanks." Clark grabbed his boxers and slid them on under the covers. His shirt was next, and after he kissed his mother on the cheek, Clark climbed out of bed. "Do you mind?" he asked Lex. "I thought I should go out and just..." Clark's voice trailed off.
How could he mind? Was he even allowed to mind? Morgan was his father, and Lex had done nothing but reject him from the beginning. Clark loved him like a son--okay, maybe not a *son*, but he loved Morgan better than Lex. It *mattered* to Clark whether Morgan lived or died, while Lex didn't...
His breath caught and he looked away. "No, I don't mind," he managed. "You go. I'll come back to town, too."
"There's no need..."
"I want to go home." Or something. He didn't know what he wanted anymore.
"Baby..."
"Just go, Clark." He looked back at Clark and tried for a smile. "Take the all the time you need with him. I'll see you tonight."
"Lex." Clark reached for him, but Lex pulled away.
Clark's arms fell back to his sides. He sighed and glanced at his mother. "I guess... I'll go wash up and say bye to Dad. Sorry, Mom."
"It's okay, honey," she said, but she didn't sound like it was okay. "But I want both you boys to visit again very soon." She crossed the room to Lex and put her arm around him. "We have a wedding to plan."
"Yeah." Clark kissed his mother on the cheek, but didn't bother to try and kiss Lex. Which was good, because Lex didn't want to be kissed right now. "I'll call you tonight. See you at home, Lex."
"Bye." He stood stiffly, not able to really look at his fiancee as he dressed and left for the house. When Clark was gone, he sat on the couch. "Um. I don't have to stick around very long."
"Don't be silly, Lex, you're family. I'll make you some breakfast." But she just sat on the couch next to him instead of going back into the house. "You don't have to stay out here you know. When you come over."
He shrugged. "It helped me sleep better, actually. Besides." He blushed. "I mean. You know."
"I never had to deal with parents, actually. Jonathan's father died very soon after he and I met. His mother went soon after, and my parents all but disowned me after I married Jonathan, so... We've never had this stress." She rested her cheek on the back of the couch and smiled. "But I wouldn't worry about it too much, darling. You are young and in love, and neither Jonathan or I will hold it against you."
"Thanks," he said, fidgeting with the tie of his robe. "So, um. Do you know Morgan?"
Her face hardened, just like he expected it too. Despite his own reaction to the news, he'd managed to catch Martha's as well. There was a lot of anger there. Frustration, too. He couldn't quite catch the whole story, but the Kents were good at keeping their secrets.
"Yes, I do. I met him the day after Clark left for Europe."
Lex frowned, not quite seeing the connection.
Martha smiled with a self-deprecating look and added, "I knew Morgan had given Clark the money. Or, rather, Clark had... earned the money during his summer with Morgan. I just never expected him to use any of it, at least not like that. When he left, I went to the city and managed to contact Morgan. We met over lunch."
"How did it go?"
"About how I expected. He was very polite, very much a gentleman. He let me throw every harsh word I had at him without saying anything. He listened, took my anger, and..." She shook her head. "But he couldn’t change anything. Clark was so grown up when he came back from Metropolis. Different and quiet and withdrawn. He never adjusted to life here, could never get interested in school or any activities. Mostly, he hung out with Chloe, read, and worked on the farm. He was so quiet. I knew we were going to lose him, and we did."
"But he's fine now."
"Well, yes. He left Smallville after he turned to seventeen. When he passed his GED, he packed his things and left. I knew that Morgan had given him the money, although sometimes he stayed in hostels and did the traditional starving student route." She smiled thinly. "I wanted to hate him. I mean, I do hate him. He hired a sixteen year old boy to sleep with him. He helped Clark grow up too quickly and see and do things that he never should have seen or done. Clark left my little boy and he came back a stranger. But, at the same time, he loves my son. Even I could see that."
Lex knew it wasn't his fault. He hadn’t asked for Morgan to be his father, hadn't asked for his involvement. He desperately wished that he had nothing to do with the man, if only to give Martha the peace of mind of not having to have him in her life. Because that's why Morgan was back in Clark's, after all; because of him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Martha took his hand. "Lex, none of this is your fault. In fact, I feel guilty that I can't get over this, if only because the man is your father. I know how much Clark needs for you to be able to accept that, and I understand why. I may not like Morgan Edge, but I trust Clark's instincts. If he says that Morgan truly loves you, then he must. If Clark thinks that it'd be good for you to know your real father, then I'll agree with him. My problem with Morgan is the fact that he took advantage of a sixteen-year-old boy who was in pain, but I can only look at it from a mother's perspective. And the fact is, Clark survived and grew and is a wonderful man. I can't complain at how anything has turned out."
I can, Lex couldn't help thinking. Sometimes, he wondered what would have happened if he'd found Clark instead of Morgan. He had no doubt that he still would have fallen in love; Clark was too perfect for it not to have happened. And, maybe, had they met earlier, the suicide attempt never would have happened, and the years of living in pain and loneliness could have been avoided.
If only...
But there was no use dreaming what might have beens. There was only what was, and what was was his father dying in a hospital while Lex waded through years of pain and anguish in an attempt to live.
"I need to go," he said suddenly. "I have something important to do."
Martha nodded. She took his hand and squeezed it. "Come back soon, baby."
"I will. I promise."
* * *
Clark left the hospital disheartened. Morgan had only been awake for about ten minutes of his visit, and he'd told Clark that he'd called his lawyer to start changing his will. It hurt and was frightening, but Morgan looked really... bad, so it was probably the wisest course. Clark still held hope that Morgan might pull through, but, then, he was an optimist. Morgan was not.
He pulled his cell phone out and dialed Lex.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby. I just left the hospital. Are you still set on coming home?"
"I'm driving as we speak." Lex turned the music in his car down. "How is he?"
"Bad." Clark rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down the street. "He's hooked up to about a million machines. He sounds horrible, looks horrible. We barely talked; mostly, he just slept."
"I'm sorry." And he did sound sorry. Conflicted, but sorry.
Clark managed a smile. "Thanks. So, when do you think you'll be home?"
"A few hours. I'll try to drive fast."
"Don't go too fast, Lex. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." His voice caught at the idea of losing Lex.
Lex's voice softened. "Nothing is going to happen, Clark. I love you."
"Me too." He hung up.
He was halfway down the street when a limo pulled up to the curb. Curious, he stopped, and wasn't very surprised when the door opened and Lois's head popped out. "Ken. Get in."
"I'm sorry, Lois, but you seem to have me confused with someone else," Clark said.
Her eyes narrowed fractionally. "I don’t think so. You're Lex's boytoy, Ken."
"I’m Lex's *fiancee*, yes." He stepped back from the curb. "Have a good day, Lois." Clark turned and started walking away.
"Kent," she snapped. "Get in now."
Fine. He was always curious to know what Lois was up to, especially since, right now, she was obsessed with getting into his fiancee's pants.
"Lois," he said as he settled comfortably into the limo. "Nice to see you again."
She gave him a bright smile. "You too, Ken."
And that was Lois. She'd won her battle, and she was planning on twisting that knife as much as she possibly could.
"Cigarette?"
"No, thank you."
She shrugged and lit up. "How's Morgan?"
He didn't ask how she knew about Morgan. Clark hadn't checked the papers or news yet; it could have been reported. After all, Morgan was a rather sensational figure, especially these days. "He's fine," Clark lied. The truth was too painful to share with her.
"Well. Have you ever thought about going back to him? Especially now that he needs someone to take care of him?"
"Um, no, not really. I’m with Lex now, and Morgan and I weren't ever really... together."
"Oh, I know. You were a prostitute and everything, I get that. But the two of you still seem close, so maybe there's a chance for the two of you have something meaningful."
Clark studied her carefully, but could glean nothing from the shiny, bland, beautiful face. "I’m with Lex."
"Right." She took a delicate drag on her cigarette and blew out a thin stream. "But you see, I want to be with Lex. And you're in my way of that, so I need to find a way to get you out of the way."
She was very blunt, wasn't she? But that was something that Lois was known for and, if Clark knew Lex, something that Lex loved about her. Well, loved and hated.
"I'm sorry, Lois, but Lex and I are getting married. We're in love, and he's not just going to leave me so he can be with you. And I am definitely not going to leave him to be with Morgan."
"I know that you're in love with him, Ken, but I'm really just trying to protect you." She looked sad, and her expression was beautiful in its perfection. "I talked with him recently and he said some things to me that led me to believe that he might not be quite as devoted to you as you are to him."
Clark's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
She leaned forward and put her hand on his knee. "He told me that the most erotic experience of his life was with Superman. And I know my Lex; when he admits something like that in the tone of voice he was using, his heart and soul is wrapped up in the experience." She pursed her lips and rubbed his knees, her eyes shining up into his. "I’m sure he loves you, Ken, in his own way. But he belongs to Superman, and you deserve someone who belongs to you."
Oh, Lex, you stupid, stupid man. *Why* did you tell her that? "Then why do you want him if his heart belongs to someone else?" he asked, managing to keep his voice steady.
Lois sat back and smiled sadly. "I have my reasons. I know Lex and I can make it work, and I willing to make compromises with him."
"You think that if you have Lex, you'll get Superman." Disgusting. And completely wrong. If Lex was inaccessible to Clark because he was with Lois, then Clark never would have made his move on Lex. Or, if he had, it would have been when Lois wasn't there. He was gay, after all.
"I think that if I have something Superman wants, and I can give him things that he needs that, yes, the three of us can come to a comfortable arrangement. After all, I am a woman, and Lex, well, Lex is a beautiful man."
This woman was so single minded, Clark honestly wondered how she managed to run her business. "I'm sorry, Lois, but you're wrong. Lex loves me. He belongs to me. You'll have to figure out how to snag Superman on your own." He tapped on the glass separating them from the driver.
The limo slowed to a stop.
"See you soon, Lois."
She smiled a beautiful and deadly smile, remind Clark of a snake. "Bye, Ken. Take care of yourself."
He didn't like her tone, but there was nothing else he could do. He'd said his piece as clearly as he could without telling her that Superman couldn’t stand her or her perfume or all the myriad of accidents she managed to get herself into just to get him to rescue her.
Maybe he should just tell her. Not that he was Superman. Maybe Superman should just tell her that nothing was ever going to happen, so she could just stop dreaming. It might make life easier.
But, then, it might make life worse. This was Lois Lane he was talking about. She had a hell of a lot of power, and he didn't want to piss her off. Especially since she was still experimenting with Kryptonite.
Clark sighed and rubbed his eyes, head aching. Damn, this was not what he wanted to deal with. Not Morgan, not Lois, not anything.
Feeling as if he'd been up for hours, Clark wearily trudged home.
* * *
He was so pale, so wasted against the pillow. He was nothing like the huge, quiet, solid of Lex's memories. Nothing like... Nothing like the way he should be.
Lex swallowed and rubbed his throat, feeling the ache. He wondered if he was getting sick. It'd been years since he'd actually been sick, but you never knew. You never...
And, anyway. Why would he be crying?
Morgan stirred. He coughed, a deep, phelmy, disgusting cough that sounded as if it hurt.
Lex pressed a glass of water into his hand and helped Morgan drink it.
"Thank you," Morgan whispered. His eyes opened and blurrily focused on Lex. He started. "Lex."
Lex nodded and rubbed his throat again. "Don't die," he said, almost snapping it. His tone was definitely far from encouraging or comforting, but he didn't feel either emotion, so it was no surprise.
"What?"
"Don't die." He shrugged. "I'm still working through issues, and you're the number on issue. If you die, I won't.... It'd be nice not to have this hole in me, Morgan."
"Lex..."
"Do not. Die." And Lex turned on his heel and left.
TBC...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
*jaw dropped*
Date: 2004-12-19 11:55 pm (UTC)That was some chapter. Lots and lots of things to think about. And *wibble* I don't want Morgan to die either.
Excellent, hon.
{{hugs}}
Re: *jaw dropped*
Date: 2004-12-20 09:43 am (UTC)Thanks! And I *love* your icon. :P
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Date: 2004-12-20 12:03 am (UTC)Every time Lois pops up in this story I dislike her even more.
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Date: 2004-12-20 09:44 am (UTC)Ah, thank you. It's always wonderful to hear that I can affect people like that. :P
Every time Lois pops up in this story I dislike her even more.
Whereas I fall in love with the character a little more each time. She is *so* much fun to write. :)
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Date: 2004-12-20 06:05 am (UTC)This Morgan is a guy I love to hate, so I'll be sorry to see him go, too. Poor Lex -- we never lose our parents when it's convenient, do we?
note: "fiancee" with 2 es means specifically a female. "fiance" with only one e is a male.
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Date: 2004-12-20 09:46 am (UTC)That's one of my favorite parts about her too. ;)
"fiance" with only one e is a male
Thanks. I wasn't aware of that. I'll make the change.
Thanks for the feedback. :)
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Date: 2004-12-20 07:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-20 09:48 am (UTC)Poor Lex. *hug*
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Date: 2004-12-20 08:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-20 09:49 am (UTC)I'm glad you're still enjoying the fic. Thanks for reading!
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Date: 2004-12-20 08:06 am (UTC)"Don't die." He shrugged. "I'm still working through issues, and you're the number on issue. If you die, I won't.... It'd be nice not to have this hole in me, Morgan."
::sniffle:: ok. going in search of tissue now. Poor Lex. I so hope Morgan is able to hold on long enough for Lex to come to terms with Morgan's place in his life. I think seeing Morgan so fragile may be the kick that Lex needs to start re-evaluating his issue with Morgan... i only hope it isn't too little, too late.
and again... Lois? She SCARES me! I SO do not want her getting her HANDS on poor Lex.
"I'm sure he loves you, Ken, in his own way. But he belongs to Superman, and you deserve someone who belongs to you."
not LOVES... but "Belongs". That woman is TWISTED?!?! and the life she has envisioned for her/Lex/Superman... can i just say EW?!?! (and i'm generally all for the TRIAD thing). Lex deserves BETTER (as does Clark!) and he HAS It... with Clark/Superman. I can't WAIT to see what happens next, because you KNOW Lois isn't going to give up that easily.
thanks for sharing this new part, hon. Looking forward to more.
peace,
the kendermouse
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Date: 2004-12-20 09:52 am (UTC)Well, now Morgan has something to hold on for, doesn't he? Knowing that Lex wants to at least try to reconcile his feelings might help MOrgan find the inner strength he needs. Besides, I really don't want him to die, either. I really am a happy-endings girl. :)
That woman is TWISTED?!?!
Delightfully so. I *love* this Lois and love writing her. :)
thanks for sharing this new part, hon. Looking forward to more.
You're welcome!! And thanks for the feedback!! :)
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Date: 2004-12-20 08:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-20 09:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-20 09:22 am (UTC)I'm glad you're writing. If I get a vote, I'd love to see more of your "Lost" series. As much as I love COTW, LOst is my new obsession, and I love your Boone voice.
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Date: 2004-12-20 09:54 am (UTC)Morgan really meant a lot to Clark, in many different ways. This Clark never had Lex to show him how the world outside of Smallville worked, so Morgan filled that function. They truly do love each other, although not in the same way Lex and Clark love each other.
And, yes, Lois is a complete bitch. I *love* her. :)
If I get a vote, I'd love to see more of your "Lost" series.
Gah, dont' tell me that!!! No, I'm kidding; I"m glad to know that you like the series so much. I'll probably work on both today and tomorrow. It's really easy to write the Lost fics, so I can probably get one of them out before Christmas.
I hope.
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Date: 2004-12-20 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-21 06:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-21 04:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-21 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-21 07:04 pm (UTC)