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She Ran (working title) By Vigdis This is a WIP which may or may not be continued. Let me know what you think it?s fate ought to be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Title: She Ran (Working Title ? Actively looking for a replacement!) Author: Vigdis Fandom: Smallville Pairing: Clark/Lex Rating: FRT-13 (FR-AO, eventually) Category: AU/interdimensional travel; MPreg (well, he *was* once upon a time, anyway); Future/Present Fic; H/C of other characters and AlternateLex. Spoilers: The first 2 seasons and possibly part of the 3rd season of Smallville - to be safe. This goes wildly AU, so I can?t be sure. Status: WIP (See note under title.) Series: See note under title. Date: May 2, 2003 (Updated June 18, 2004) E-Mail: vigdisvale@squidge.org Feedback: Craved! Need feedback! Please be constructive? Details are good! Also, tell me what you want to see more of, what you want to find out the answers to, etc? I love details! Archive: WWOMB: http://www.squidge.org/~peja/; Vig?s Vale; Others please let me know you want it. I like to know where my babies are. Author's Website: Vig's Vale: http://www.squidge.org/vigsvale/ (still under construction, but mine none-the-less) Valdron?s Handy Dandy Disclaimer: (modified for this work) Smallville, the series, concepts and characters, are the property, copyright and trademark of Tollin/Robbins Productions, Warner Bros. & DC Comics. No ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by the use in this work. This work constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This work is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes. All other characters and situations which are not specifically owned by the above mentioned are sole copyright of the author. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Notes: We are dealing with a couple of different timelines, here. Alternate Universes (plural). So things may get a little freaky from time to time. I am an American, and so I am used to miles rather than kilometers, but the Lamborghini prefers kilometers, so you will find both mixed in. In case you don?t know, a kilometer is a little more than half a mile. (Conversions: 1 kilometer = 0.62 mile; 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers; 350 kilometers = 217.48 miles; 400 kilometers = 248.549 miles) A Roadster is a car without a roof. Not a convertible. No top to put up. Just no top at all. For colors and some really nice photos of the Roadster version follow the links below. Keep in mind that the one the kids drive won?t be this exact car due to timeline issues and alternate realities, but, my, isn?t it cool?!? Blue Lamborghini http://www.lambocars.com/wallpaper/lm14640.htm http://www.lambocars.com/wallpaper/lm17640.htm Lamborghini Roadster (Concept Car - not yet in production) http://www.lambocars.com/murcielago/murconcept.htm http://www.lambocars.com/highres/murc2.htm http://www.lambocars.com/murcielago/murconcepti.htm (an amazing image gallery) Green Lamborghini http://www.lambocars.com/highres/mur56.htm http://www.lambocars.com/murcielago/muri.htm (look for several images of green Lamborghinis at the bottom of the page) The yellow car on this page is the one Lex drives in this story. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 1 She ran. There was no rhyme or reason to it. She just ran. The sheer speed and the wind whirling past, whipping at her long dark hair, gave her the illusion that she could outrun her demons. But she couldn?t, of course. You can?t outrun what?s inside you. She paid no heed to the blue lamborghini roadster that suddenly began to follow. It couldn?t keep up with her. Not unless she let it. She slowed. The boy behind the wheel ignored the insistent beeping of his phone as he drove expertly. His control of the vehicle was such that you would never know he had it floored. He topped out at nearly 400kph as he tried to keep the girl in sight. Still, he knew that she could outdistance him in a heartbeat, if she chose to. He also knew she wouldn?t. She needed him. If the need overcame her, she would. But then he would simply stop the car and follow on foot. She knew this as well. She needed him close. She stayed within sight. Then something changed. The wind swirling around her turned to glowing blue and white light. She stopped dead still. The car didn?t. When the boy saw his sister disappear into a vortex, something akin to panic swept through him. He was on her in an instant. He never slowed as she leapt into the car. Together they moved through the strange vortex. There didn?t seem to be a way around it or out of it. Her eyes were blank with terror as they drove through at high speed. He reached over and clasped her hand. She squeezed tight and clenched her eyes closed. ?What now?? she thought. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lex clenched his teeth as he tried not to lose his temper. It wouldn?t help. He concentrated all his energies - and control - on not backhanding the man in the seat beside him. He shifted gears and floored the gas pedal. The bright yellow Lamborghini Murci鬡go shot forward in instant response. Lionel shuddered imperceptibly. He knew Lex was an excellent driver. He also knew that Lex was very experienced driving at high speeds. He had seen the boy working out his aggressions on their private racetrack often enough. But right now they were on a public highway. This was not a controlled environment and neither of them had any control over what other drivers might do. Suddenly, Lionel?s unspoken fears leapt out at them. Almost literally. A swirling blue vortex appeared barely a kilometer in front of them and a strange looking blue car shot out of it. Fortunately, it was headed in the same direction they were. Lex swerved violently around the vortex. Eyes narrowed, he shifted again and followed the car. It was of a design he had never seen, but he knew it was a Lamborghini. It was sleek and elegant and he already knew that he wanted one. That wasn?t why he followed, of course. It wasn?t every day a car popped out of nowhere onto the road in front of him. He could see the shock of red hair on the driver. He was a true carrot-top, just as Lex had been before he lost his hair. The passenger, with her long dark hair, reminded him of Lana Lang. He couldn?t see their faces, but he found he was incapable of letting it go. He had to find out who they were. How they got here. Where they came from. He had to know! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The boy driving the blue roadster kept glancing in his rearview mirror. He patted the girl?s hand and she opened her eyes. The world around them didn?t look any different from the one they knew. She breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed her brother?s interest in the mirror and turned enough to see the car behind them. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to get a good look at it?s passengers. Finally, she relaxed. "It?s okay," she said shortly. "I?m gonna get out and run." "Okay," the boy replied. "Meet you at the farm?" "Yeah." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lex?s eyes went wide with horror as the girl stood up in her seat. They were going nearly 250 miles per hour and she was standing up. His heart nearly stopped when she jumped out. He braced to swerve around her. He started to breathe again when he realized swerving wasn?t necessary. She didn?t fall or even falter. She ran. She outran both cars. In a heartbeat, she was out of sight - moving faster than his eyes could follow. His eyes narrowed again as he recalled a blur on a surveillance tape. Someone else could move that fast. Glancing over at his father, he noted the stunned look and the interested eyes. He pursed his lips and shifted again. The engine revved and he shifted back into the highest gear, coaxing a little more speed out of his beloved car. He smiled as the speedometer needle was buried all the way to the right. As he followed the blue car, he became more and more impressed by the other driver?s skill. Lionel and Lex were both stunned when the car snapped around a corner, turning up the long drive to the Kent Farm. Lex followed suit, smiling, a trace of satisfaction in his blue eyes. Clark wouldn?t be able to lie his way out of this one. Too bad really. Now his father would know everything he suspected. Lex grimaced at the thought, but it couldn?t be helped. He sighed softly. Today just had to be the day he allowed his father to manipulate him into driving him to Metropolis. ?Just the two of us,? he said. ?It?ll give us a chance to talk about a few things, son,? he said. They had only traveled a few miles and Lex was already tempted to kill the man. Lex honestly wasn?t sure if his father would have made it to Metropolis alive if Lex hadn?t been distracted by the car. Only a few car lengths ahead of Lex, the blue car spun to a halt in front the barn. Lex grinned as he matched his skill to that of the other driver. The redhead didn?t stop to look back as he leapt out of his vehicle. He scanned the area and when he saw Jonathan Kent, his shoulders relaxed. "Where did Lily go?" he asked the man quietly. Lionel drew in a sharp breath as Jonathan nodded toward the barn. The boy tilted his head down and peered at the building over the rim of his glasses. He sighed. "Is she alright?" Lex asked, his voice firm. "No, sir," the boy answered, not looking up. "She?s going to start demolishing things if I don?t stop her." He looked over at Jonathan and gave him a sheepish shrug. His eyes were filled with a deep, abiding sorrow that most adolescents never know. "She?s about to start tearing the loft apart. I better stop her." The boy looked at his car. Lamborghini markings were clearly visible now that it was still. "I can?t believe I?m about to do this," the boy muttered under his breath. He shook his head slowly then called out, "Lily!" The girl came out of the barn in a blur of speed. "What, Jules?" she demanded petulantly. "Don?t tear up the barn. I don?t want to have to rebuild it." She took a ragged breath, obviously fighting back tears. "I have to do something, Jules. If I try to hold this rage in, someone is gonna die. And since the ones it?s actually directed at are already dead?" she trailed off, shaking visibly. "I know, Lil. That?s why I want you to take the car out into that pasture and turn it into scrap metal." Her jaw dropped open in shock. (So did Lex?s.) "But, Julian! You *love* that car! And it?s? well," she sputtered, "it?s a Lamborghini! I can?t demolish a Lamborghini!" "Why not? It?s just car." She wasn?t convinced. "Look, Lil, just do it, okay! You have to." "Dad?" she looked pleadingly at Lex. He just looked at her for a long moment, absorbing the fact that she was actually calling him ?dad?. He realized, as he studied her, that she really did look just like him. A female version, to be sure, and with different coloring, but she *did* look like him. The color might be different, but he knew the look in her changeable grey-green eyes. He had seen it often enough in his mirror. Finally, he hesitantly nodded his approval. The girl sighed. "Better get your stuff out of it, then, Jules." He nodded and moved. A second later, he was stacking his belongings on the ground beside her. "Go on, then," he said, nudging her toward the car. "Wanna help me toss it into the field?" she asked softly. "You?re kidding, right? I?m not even going to watch!" "Jules! I can?t do it!" she said, almost wailing. "Don?t be ridiculous!" "You love this car!" He shrugged. "I love my sister more," he said simply. "Besides," he grinned, "Grandfather?ll just buy me another one." Lily still looked skeptical so Julian turned to face Lionel and, smirking, said, "Won?t you?" Only decades of self control kept Lionel from gasping when he got a good look at Julian?s face. He was the very image the seventeen year old Clark Kent. Except for his coloring. And the fact that he indisputably had Lex?s eyes. Lex?s mother?s eyes. Lionel would know those eyes anywhere. His lips narrowed for a moment before he answered. "Of course, Julian. Your sister is certainly more important than a car." Lex smirked at his father. He raised his eyebrows at Julian. It was disconcerting to see his own eyes staring back out of Clark?s face, but he didn?t falter. "Even a Lamborghini," he said wryly. Julian grinned and turned to his sister. "See. And you know how Dad feels about Lamborghinis. They aren?t just cars. They?re generally more important than life!" Lily rolled her eyes. "You *know* Grandfather only gave us the cars to piss Dad off, Jules. He doesn?t think we?re rebellious enough." She shot Lionel a smirk, so like Lex?s he blinked, before she flounced over to the car. She looked at it, glaring, for a minute, then she picked it up. Just like that. Picked it up. With her two little hands. Then, she tossed it into the adjacent field. Like it was weightless. It made a very satisfying crunching sound as it crashed into the field. And she was suddenly standing beside the wreckage, tearing into the car, shredding metal with her bare hands. Lex sighed. Julian buried his face in his hands. "Geez, Dad, what was I *thinking?*" Lex tilted his head slightly and his eyes softened. "That you love your sister," he said gently. Julian smiled, a sad but genuine smile. "Oh, yeah. That was it," he whispered. Jonathan Kent had taken everything in quietly, stunned and horrified, at first, to know that the two Luthors were witness to the abilities of the brother and sister. The boy?s resemblance to Clark was astounding, and the girl had Clark?s hair and eyes, but she looked like Lex. Then they called Lex ?Dad? and Lionel ?Grandfather?. And they seemed completely at home on the farm. He decided it was time to speak up. "Julian?" Jonathan said quietly. "Yes, Grandpa?" the boy responded immediately. "Why don?t you go on inside and get yourself some lemonade? Martha made some fresh just before she left for town." "Sure, Grandpa. Would you like some, too?" he glanced around at the three men. They shook their heads. "Just give us a little while, Julian," Lex told him. "If you stay inside, you won?t have to watch," he said, nodding toward the frenzy of destruction in the field. Julian moaned. "My car?s going to be confetti! Metal confetti!" he growled. "Going inside now," he told them. "Wake me as soon as the nightmare?s over, huh, Dad?" "Sure," Lex smiled, nodding. Once the boy had disappeared into the house, Jonathan turned to Lex and Lionel. "What do you suppose is going on?" Lex sighed. "We had just started out for Metropolis when this ? vortex, for lack of a better word ? opened on the road in front of us. They came out of it," he shrugged. "Obviously they?re from either the future or another reality. In any case, I?m apparently their father?s double. But that doesn?t explain how Clark is involved. And he is *definitely* involved. People don?t look that much alike by accident." "Whichever it is, son - the future or another dimension ? their medical science must be a great deal more advanced than ours." Lex and Jonathan looked at Lionel expectantly. "I think it?s fairly obvious, don?t you?" He looked back and forth between them. "They are your children, Lex. But they are also Clark?s children. Therefore, medical science in their dimension must be advanced enough that two men can have children together." "Good guess," Julian?s voice interrupted. "But wrong, all the same." The boy looked carefully over each of the men, taking in the minor differences. Jonathan?s hair had less grey in it. Lex looked minutely younger than he was used to. And Lionel looked younger as well. "What is correct, then?" Lionel asked, unfazed. "Lillian and I are twins. Lex sired us and Clark gave birth to us." Jonathan inhaled sharply. "But medical science had nothing to do with it. Kryptonians males could reproduce either way. I can, too, just like Daddy. Uh, that?s Clark," he said. His tone was nearly apologetic. Julian swallowed hard as the men absorbed what he had told them. he was trying not to hyperventilate. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and stated the obvious. "I guess that thing really *did* take us somewhere." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 2 Lex and Julian resolutely turned their backs on the carnage in the field. The four men moved to the front porch and sat. The air was tense and uncomfortable. "When will they be back?" Julian asked nervously. "Clark should be home any minute," Jonathan answered gently. "Martha went into town a couple of hours ago to do some shopping, so your guess is as good as mine on that one," he grinned mischievously. Julian smiled and almost laughed. Lex reached over and touched his arm lightly. "Are you alright?" The depth of his concern was evident in his voice. Julian sighed. "I?m okay. Just wondering how I missed it. I mean, my phone stopped ringing the second we entered the vortex. All of you look younger. Not by a lot, but younger. You?ve changed the least, Da- uh?" A confused, worried look swept over the young man?s face and settled there. "What am I supposed to call you? Any of you?" "I can?t speak for the others, but-" Jonathan started, but broke off as Lex started speaking at the same time. "You can call me Dad if you like. Or Lex," he smiled encouragingly. "Whichever you feel more comfortable with. I don?t mind." Lionel nodded, "Whether you and your sister are from the future or from a different reality altogether, the relationships are constant. We are family. You are my grandson." He turned to Jonathan. "Who would have ever thought?" "Who, indeed?" Jonathan replied wryly. "Jules, just go with whatever you feel comfortable with for Lionel and me. Martha, too, I imagine. But you might want to be careful about your dads. If someone outside? the family," he choked out, looking at the two Luthors, "were to overhear you? it could be bad." Julian nodded. "Yes, sir. I suppose you?re right," he grimaced. "Sorry, Dad ? Lex. I?m gonna have to go with Grandpa on this one. He and Grandma managed to keep Daddy ? uh, Clark ? safe and secret all those years. I?m thinking he knows best in this situation." Lex sighed softly, then smiled at Jonathan. "I?m sure he does. He certainly has the most experience with this type of secret." "What type-" Clark?s voice cut off abruptly as he came face to face with his red-headed double. "Oh." "Yeah," Lex confirmed softly. "Clark, may I introduce our son, Julian?" "*Our son?*" Clark choked. "Way to spring it on him, *Dad*," Julian snorted, rolling his eyes. Then he shrugged. "Might as well get all the shocks over at once," he sighed. "Clark?" Clark turned to him, wide-eyed. "See the girl in the field over there? The one? shredding the? my? uh?" he took a deep breathe to continue, but Lex beat him to it. "The one shredding the Lamborghini with her bare hands?" Clark turned to look and nodded hesitantly. "That?s Lily ? Lillian, after my mother I?m sure ? Julian?s twin sister. Our daughter." Clark sat down hard. Fortunately, he was still on the walk, so he didn?t break the porch. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The entire family, minus Lillian, who was still busy finding new and interesting ways to turn Julian?s prized Lamborghini into tiny pieces of metal confetti, sat around the coffee table. Martha had pulled up in the truck while Clark was still on sitting on the front walk. She had been brought up to date, but she was still stunned and hadn?t managed to say more than a few words. Jonathan took up the slack. "Alright, Jules," he said in his best no nonsense tone, "why don?t you explain all this to us. How exactly is Clark able to bear children?" "Well, sir," Julian began slowly, glancing at Clark nervously, "It?s not all that complicated. Basically, Krypton had two variations of male; one of them was so genetically superior it was almost another species. The more genetically advanced males could reproduce either way. Siring or bearing children. Only they could only produce females and the more advanced male gender ? not the lesser male. And females could only produce advanced male children if they were sired by one. So their numbers were much smaller." He took a deep breath. "A long time ago, the advanced males became the basis for Kryptonian Nobility. They became the ruling class. Genetics. All based on genetics. The house of El ? our house ? was one of the oldest and most powerful. If Krypton had not been destroyed, Kal-El would have become the Consort of the Queen and he would have ruled the entire planet. Women were considered equals in every other way. They could even have their own concubines ? of either gender! But they weren?t allowed to rule." He scoffed. "In some ways Krypton was ass-backwards! Of course," he paused to smirk at Clark, "because the nobles arranged marriages, Kal-El would have been consort to the heir to the throne regardless of gender. It was sheer chance that it was a girl. It could have as easily been a noble-male. Then he would have had to share rulership ? with his mate having nominal supremacy." Julian was trying very hard not to laugh, but the expression on Clark?s face was so horrified, he finally gave in. Lex was fighting back his own chuckle. When Julian finally got control of himself, he added, "By the way, Clark, you?re married." "What?" Clark squeaked. Lex frowned. Clark was his. "Well," Julian shrugged, "Kryptonian nobles were married at birth. Or as close to it as possible. You were less than a year old when the princess was born. As I understand it, Jor-El and the King were best friends. And as the highest ranking noble child aside from her, you were the natural choice." Clark?s face was as white as a sheet. "Her name is Zara. Zara Kala-Tai. Or was. It?s possible she didn?t survive the destruction of the planet. Whatever else he was, Jor-El was a brilliant scientist. He informed the ruling council that tectonic stresses were tearing Krypton apart and evacuation was necessary. They told him to shut up and stop panic-mongering. They even extracted an oath from him. Neither he nor your birth mother ? Lara ? were allowed to leave Krypton. He made no such promise for you, though. He made sure you would survive. He even tried to convince Zara?s father to send you with her. He was cowed by the council and he refused. But at least he didn?t try to stop Jor-El from sending *you*." "So what you?re telling me is that somewhere out there, I *might* have a *wife*?" "Well, yeah. I guess. But I wouldn?t worry about it too much. It?s not like you could have sex with her, even if she was right here." "Huh?" "You?re married, but ? according to Kryptonian law ? it?s illegal to consummate the marriage before the bonding ceremony. And that had to take place before the Council and, even if they?re not all dead, they aren?t here. So ? no sex," Julian grinned. "What about you and your sister? What about me and Lex?" Julian shrugged happily. "Simple. By Kryptonian law and custom, you could both take concubines of any gender. If your spouse proved barren or unwilling to produce children, you?re entitled to have children with the concubine of your choice." "So, I?m a concubine?" Lex didn?t sound happy. "That?s the way the Council would see you at first. But they?d be wrong. Concubines don?t Life-Bond. It?s impossible. Only true-mates ? or soulmates ? could do that. Once it became clear that the two of you *had*, in fact, Life-Bonded, they would be forced to either set aside Kal-El?s marriage to Zara or Acknowledge his dual marriage. Basically, legally, you would become a Triad. The chances of them setting aside the marriage are very small. For one thing, she?d have to agree to it. If she did, they?d force her to marry the next ranking noble. And he?s a nightmare. True Evil. Think Hitler. So I doubt she would agree. She?d accept you instead." "And you know all this because?" Lex asked icily. Julian grinned at him. "Because in our dimension, Zara?s father made preparations of his own. He planned to send as many Kryptonian children and enough trained adults ? teachers and caretakers ? off-world. Unfortunately, the Council got wind of it and took over the spots reserved for some of the commoner children. Two children died for each Council member ? and their mates ? that survived. Lara and Jor-El and Kala and Zel-Tai and a few others refused to accept spaces on the ship. They said the children deserved the right to live." "The Council was made up of a lot of selfish bastards," Lillian said, as she came into the house. She went to her twin and curled up beside him. His arm went comfortingly around her. "I?ll say!" Jonathan exclaimed. "And I thought Jor-El was bad." Lily smirked. "Actually, Jor-El *wants* you to think he?s bad. There?s a lot of stuff Daddy ? Clark," she gave him a little smile, tilting her head just like Lex did when he was amused, "needs to learn before he goes out into the world at large. And Jor-El is the only one who *can* teach him those things. He knew you would teach Da- uh, Clark ? to be a good and honorable man. He knew you would protect him and love him and teach him the value of life. But he also needs to understand his origins and his abilities. Abilities that Jor-El experienced himself when he was here on Earth. You know about his visit, right?" Jonathan and Clark nodded. Clark said, "Grandpa Kent helped him." "Right. So he knew that the Kent family was the right place to send you. But he also needs for you to understand things from another perspective. Did you spend the summer in Metropolis?" Clark blushed. "Yeah," he confirmed uneasily. Lily smirked at him. Lex?s smirk. "And what did you learn, *Kal*?" Clark exhaled shortly, "That I don?t particularly *like* Kal." Julian raised his eyebrows, "Really? Is that *all* you learned." Clark grimaced and sighed. "No. I learned that being able to take anything you want any time you want isn?t all it?s cracked up to be." He shot a quick, sidelong glance at Lionel. "In fact, it?s a pretty empty way to live. When you can have anything, nothing really *means* anything." He raised his eyes to meet Lex?s. "And it?s damned lonely." Lex?s lips quirked but he didn?t quite smile. Lionel frowned. "Tell me about your parents," he ordered. Lily and Julian exchanged a look. Lily spoke for them. "You know, *Grandfather*, that?s exactly the attitude that got you into so much trouble in our reality. You might want to work on that." "What, exactly, do you mean by that?" "You decided you knew what was best for Dad. After all," Lily mimicked Lionel "?There?s no way an openly gay man will achieve political greatness in *this* country. Not in *this* century anyway.? But you were wrong. Dead wrong. Dad?s serving his second term as President of the United States and there?s a huge ? and I do mean huge ? grass roots movement to amend the Constitution to remove the restriction so that he can serve more terms. The country loves him." She giggled. "I think Dad is hoping it doesn?t work out. He?s getting tired of the hassle. Besides, they want to have another baby and being in the public eye all the time makes it impossible." Lex smiled at that. The idea of having children with Clark was very quickly turning into an obsession. Clark just blushed again. Lily giggled at them. Julian rolled his eyes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should I continue???