Beta: svmaria
Authors note: This is an add-on to the "My Other Daddy" universe created by Magdelena1969 with her permission and invitation to do so. Here's the link. Please read that story first: http://magdelena1969.livejournal.com/121767.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clark laughed nervously at himself. His hands were actually shaking. And he couldn't recall the last time that had happened. No, wait…he could recall actually. It was the day he read the letter from Lex and found out that Lena Luthor was their daughter.
"Did you want to look at another, sir?"
Shaking off the tendrils of that memory, Clark smiled at the young woman in front of him. "No, this is the one. Can I have it gift wrapped?"
"Certainly sir, would you like it engraved as well?"
Clark's mind went completely blank, then it hit him and he smiled. "Yes, I would…"
Inhaling deeply as he left the store, Clark thought it had to be one of the most beautiful days on record. It had been three months since Lex's release from the hospital. Sure, there had been days that were simply awkward. But then there were days that…well Clark had to stop thinking those thoughts in public.
With a grin, he hurried along the busy sidewalk toward his destination as he planned what to say. It had been a period of adjustment for Clark and Lex. Lena seemed to be basking in happiness at having both of her parents in her life at long last. And Clark was starting to realize the importance of the little girl…his daughter…in his life. He even carried a wallet size picture of her in his billfold and had a picture of her on his desk at work. Although, his mother had seemed to grab the lion share of photos whenever new ones came into being.
Despite Martha Kent's shock at being a grandmother and concerns over Lionel she was over the moon with joy. Lena soon wrapped her around her little finger along with her other daddy. Clark smiled. Lena was a Luthor and had quickly realized that a bigger family meant more presents, attention and the best of all servants at her beck and call. Not that Clark minded and Martha insisted her grand-daughter was simply 'acting her age'.
It had taken Clark awhile to find his place in the well ordered nation of two where Lex and Lena were established. It was during those first few months that he'd started wondering what his place truly was in Lena's life and for that matter, Lex's. It was Martha who had noticed the great weight upon his mind and breeched the subject.
Flashback
"Honey, what is it?" Martha asked her brooding son over a cup of afternoon coffee.
Clark stared at his coffee cup, as if it would divulge the secrets to the universe at any moment, so rapt was his attention. "I don't know where I belong in their lives."
Martha didn't need to ask to whom Clark was referring; it was obvious by the events of the last few months. "Well, I suppose you need to ask yourself what place you'd like to have and go from there."
Clark sighed in acknowledgement. "See, I'm not even sure about that, mom."
Martha took her son's large hands in her own. "What would you do if Lex was a woman?"
Clark frowned. "What does that…oh, well I suppose I'd ask her to marry me. But mom, what do I have to offer Lex?"
"You," Martha smiled before she became serious. "Lex loves you, Clark and its clear to me that you feel the same way about him. And Lena needs a family and in many ways, isn't that what Lex has always needed? For the first time in his life, he could have that because of you. Lex might have more money, but we have love and family. He's only had a part of you Clark; it's up to you to offer him the rest. Excuse me, offer them."
She smiled again.
"And you can't put a price tag on that. I don't care what the Luthor's say." Clark could just hear his father's voice in his head and he smiled back. Along with a good dose of "I'm surprised you're not hitched yet."
"…It's not legal in Kansas," he argued out loud and looked down at his cup as he realized what he'd done.
Martha squeezed his hands. "It's okay, Clark. I hear him all the time too. Your father would say, "It might be someday and in the meantime, you could at least make it a matter of record. Besides who's to say it isn't the way of things on …you know." She waved her hand about and they both laughed. "You know it would be important to him that you bring Lena and Lex into the family where they belong. And you know how I feel."
Clark nodded. "Do you really think he wouldn’t mind?"
Martha chuckled. "He'd be too happy it wasn't Lionel's DNA mixed with yours."
"Eww, mom, that's just wrong on so many levels," Clark made what Martha called his ‘vegetable face’. She wondered inwardly if that had been Lena's influence. After all, she hadn't seen that face for a long time.
It was then Clark realized what he wanted his place to be in Lena and Lex's life.
End Flashback
His feet stopped abruptly at the private elevator for Lex's penthouse. With a nod to the security guard on duty, he swiped the card Lex had given him and entered the lift. The door closed behind him and suddenly, he became very nervous. Closing his eyes he went over the words he'd rehearsed over and over again in his head.
The ring that announced the arrival of the elevator at the penthouse startled him and he stumbled forward.
"Papa!" Lena rushed forward and wrapped her tiny arms around his legs before holding them up. Clark swept her up and kissed her on the cheek.
"Hiya munchkin. Where's Daddy?"
Lex walked into view. "Right here," Lex said with a smile. He closed the gap between them and they kissed around their daughter who never seemed to tire of it. She hugged them both around their necks then began to squirm to be let down.
"I have something to show you!" She raced off down the hallway, unintentionally giving Clark and Lex a moment alone for a more passionate greeting. But as always it ended as quickly as it started. "PAPA!! LOOK!"
Clark laughed internally. He'd done more "looking" during the past three months then he'd done in his life. Martha called it 'payback'. With a look of love to Lex, he knelt down by his daughter. "What is it, honey?"
She folded out a large piece of paper. "Look, it's us!"
Clark looked at the brightly colored paper. At the center was a drawing of a house. And inside the house there were three stick figures. One was Lex, Clark could tell by the bald head and tie. Clark was undoubtedly the shaggy black haired one. He really needed to get another hair cut. And they were each holding one of Lena's hand. Or at least Clark assumed the red-haired little girl was her. Surrounding it all were many little hearts and a giant rainbow. And she had carefully written in her block style letters, "Family."
Biting back tears Clark gathered her into his arms gently. "It's perfect."
Lena beamed at him; then raced away to put it on the stainless steel refrigerator. Clark grinned wondering what cook thought of her perfect appliance covered in the drawings. Lex helped him up. "She's been working on that all day."
"I love it."
"I thought you loved me."
"I can love you both." Clark grinned. "Speaking of which, I'd like to talk to you about something important."
Lex cocked his head to the side. "Is Martha okay?"
"Mom's fine."
"Work?"
"No, nothing bad, I assure you. Well, I hope you don't think it's bad," Clark bit his lip, feeling the wave of butterflies re-enter his stomach.
"Okay, I'll pop in a DVD." Lex looked at Clark curiously but knew that Clark would not talk about it until he was ready.
"Thanks, Lex," Clark sighed with relief. He didn't want to do this in front of Lena. If Lex refused it would devastate her.
Lex put in the DVD when she returned from the kitchen with a cookie in her hand. Obviously the cook wasn't that upset about the latest decoration. Clark wondered if he tried that if he could get one of her cookies too. Lex laughed at him. "She's making up a whole batch, so I'm sure Lena will share with you."
Clark grinned, feeling mildly less nervous as he followed Lex, who stopped in front of his office door. "Not here," Clark grabbed his hand and led him back to the bedroom. Lex grinned lustily at him and Clark had to adjust his jeans at the look.
Clark sat down in the chair opposite the bed as Lex frowned sitting on the bed, realizing he'd misread the situation. "What is it?"
"Lex, I've been thinking a lot about what I have to offer you and Lena."
"Clark, we love you. We don't need anything else. Having you in our lives is more than I had ever hoped for." Lex whispered with concern. "Please don't end it this way."
"OH! No! Oh, hell. I'm not doing this very well, am I?" Clark shook his head.
"You're not breaking up with me?"
"No, Lex! I love you and that's the last thing I ever want to do."
"But you've been acting funny the last week and I thought –"
"No, Lex. I told you it's nothing bad, well I hope it ….shit… I really am bad at this."
"Just say it, Clark," Lex said, going stiff.
Clark shook his head, approached the bed and slid to one knee. Lex's expression changed dramatically from hurt to confusion to understanding all in the space of a heartbeat. "Lex, I love you. I love Lena. I want to be a part of that forever if you'll have me." Clark flipped open the box he'd been playing with ever since he left the jewelers.
Lex took it with shaky hands. He opened it and gasped. "Clark, this must have cost …"
"Don't worry about that. You're worth it. I love you Lex. We can't exactly get married but I'd like to commit to you. They have ceremonies for that and –"
Clark didn't get to finish as Lex pulled him onto the bed. Their limbs entwined with practiced ease. "Yes, Clark!" He kissed Clark so deeply that even super-alien-lungs were having a hard time getting a breath, and then Lex pulled away with a smile. "I love you, Clark. And I hope this means you're finally moving in?"
"Yes, Lex. It's time," Clark leaned over and kissed Lex gently. "Thank you for saying 'yes'. I don't think I could have taken it if you didn't."
Lex grinned. "I'll always say 'yes' to you. Haven't you figured that out by now?"
"I guess I understand that now." Clark laughed as Lex pulled him into another kiss and a new phase of their lives…together…forever.
Family Commitment by Keikokin [ - ]
[[Report This]]