Title: Hear With Your Heart
Author: Cleo
Author Email: cleohs@aol.com
Author Webpage:
Category: Drama, Romance
Spoilers For: Pilot
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Summary: Lex,
Author's Note: I *love* feedback. It doesn't matter if
it's one short sentence or a ten page essay, I love them all! Drop me a line...
Hear With Your Heart
by Cleo
October 31, 2001
"Come on,
"Don't be childish, Lex," the brunette replied, coolly. Then,
obviously deciding a different approach was in order, she slithered up to Lex,
pressing the length of her body against his. "I can think of much more
*entertaining* things for us to do than go to a teenager's Halloween
party."
Lex turned a weary, bored gaze on
Hidden deep within the shadows, in the corner of the room, a woman watched the
exchange silently, a frown creasing her brow and a deep sorrow emanating from
her beautiful, green eyes. "Oh Alexander," the woman thought sadly,
"You deserve so much better than Harry Hardwick's greedy, selfish
spawn."
Every year, it was the same thing. The woman arrived full of hope, sure she
would find that another year's passing had finally brought Alexander the love
and companionship that he deserved...that she knew he desperately needed.
But each year, she was more disappointed than ever. Year after year, she found
Lex, either all alone and deep into his brandy, or with people who cared
nothing for him...still deep into his brandy. Surely fate had something better
in mind for Alexander. He had suffered so much hurt already in his young life.
She thought sadly of her own lonely past, sitting alone night after night, a
snifter in her hand, waiting for the man who rarely came home, and who, when he
did eventually return, reeked of his secretary's perfume. Life was a gift that
passed far too quickly, and to spend it lonely and drunk was the worst kind of
waste.
The woman's attention was suddenly brought back to the conversation taking
place across the room. "Admit it, Lex. You just want to see
"Don't start that again,
cause."
"So send a donation, Lex. That's what you've always done in the past when
the locals request your presence at a charity function,"
"God, Victoria. How many times do I have to explain it to you?" Lex
sighed deeply, the repetition of the explanation growing tiresome, and said,
"
"He has a crush on you, you know,"
"Don't be ridiculous.
"I've had friends, Lex. I don't recall ever looking at them the way you
look at
The woman in the shadows was riveted now, watching Lex intently. She knew
Alexander better than anyone, could practically read his thoughts by watching
his face, and that face was now telling her that there was some truth to what
"Is that a threat,
Their unseen observer laughed softly. If she knew the Hardwicks, and she did,
she would bet money that Victoria and her scheming father were trying to scam
Alexander. But she also knew that Lex would never fall for it; he was too
smart, too quick, too ruthless himself, to be used in that way. The woman's
green eyes twinkled as she imagined the tricks Alexander probably had hidden up
his sleeve at this very moment.
"Come to bed, Lex,"
The muscles in Lex's jaw clenched, and his clear blue eyes went strangely dead
as he reached for the decanter and refilled his snifter. His posture was rigid,
tightly composed, but the woman watching saw the tiny little slump of his
shoulders. She watched Lex square his shoulders once more and head in the
direction
Green eyes filled with sorrow, the woman turned. "I've seen enough here
for one night," she thought. She could only hope that her next visit would
be a happier one. Maybe she would be lucky enough to see this
Sighing deeply, the woman walked towards the window, stepping into the bright
moonlight that spilled through the panes. The silvery beams merged with her
ethereal beauty and shone in the long, lustrous waves of her brilliant auburn
hair. With one final glance over her shoulder at Alexander's retreating form,
Lillian Luthor stepped through the closed window, dissipating into the foggy
mist that crept slowly past the old stone mansion.
***********************************
Lillian moved silently through the regal hallways of the castle, on her way to
the library where she knew she would find Lex. She felt a sense of
anticipation. She was so sure that this year was going to be different.
She had just come from the kitchen where she had overheard the cook and the
housekeeper discussing Alexander's friend, Clark, with much affection.
Apparently, he was still a regular and welcome visitor to the mansion,
important enough to Lex that he made sure his staff kept the pantry stocked at
all times with the boy's favorite foods and soft drinks.
Lillian was pleased to learn from her eavesdropping, that
She was relieved that Alexander had a good friend, but she had not forgotten
the accusations
But while
As Lillian approached the library, she saw the soft flicker of firelight coming
from the crack under the door and heard the tinkle of glass touching glass. She
walked through the solid oak door and...there he was. Her sweet Alexander.
Sprawled elegantly on the plush sofa in front of the fireplace, a decanter of
brandy in one hand, a snifter in the other, a rich, eggplant-purple robe
covering his silk pajamas, he would have been the perfect picture of aristocratic
style and grace if it weren't for his countenance of sorrow and loneliness, his
handsome face so bleak that looking at him made Lillian feel as if she were
dying all over again.
He reached over to return the decanter to its place on the table beside the
sofa, and she could tell from his expansive and wobbly movement that he had
already had too much to drink. He sank back down into the cushions and stared
morosely into the fire for long moments, his look of despair increasing until
Lillian's heart began to break.
All alone again...not a friend in sight. Choking on a sob, she stood over her
beloved boy, her shimmery blue fingers reaching to caress his brow, but
stopping short before touching his pale forehead. She had, over the years,
given in several times to the impulse to touch him, to console him, but each
time, her cool, ghostly touch had frightened him so badly that she had vowed
not to try again.
Lillian was given this one evening each year, every Samhain, to walk the earth,
to spend time with the one person that she had loved more than life itself, yet
there was nothing she could do to ease his loneliness. She could not give him
words of love and encouragement...he couldn't hear her. She couldn't smile at
him and let him see the love and pride in her face...he could not see her. All
that her spectral body had left was the ability to touch, and she couldn't even
do that without terrifying him.
Silvery tears ran down her smooth face, dripping from her delicate jawline and
dissolving into nothingness before they reached Alexander. Her misty hand still
hovered over his brow, and as if sensing her sadness and the closeness of her
fingers, he squeezed his eyes shut tightly, one lonely tear escaping to trickle
down his cheek.
Lillian suddenly heard the sound of loud footsteps in the hallway and she saw
Lex flinch at the sound, startled, then quickly wipe the wetness from his face
with the heel of his hand. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and recomposed
his face, so that when his visitor entered the room, Lex looked perfectly at
ease, as if he was just enjoying a relaxing evening at home.
"
"Hey, Lex,"
Lillian looked up quickly, surprised. Apparently the boy knew her son well
enough to see the little chinks in Lex's armor that he tried so hard to hide.
She stared at
"Nothing's wrong,
Clark was carrying a steaming mug of something and placed it carefully on the
coffee table before he flopped down onto the sofa next to Lex and answered with
a rueful grin, "It was *awful* Lex. Neither one of us could think of a
thing to say to each other all night, and when we did try to talk, we only
found out that we had *nothing* in common. I think she was relieved when I told
her I needed to get home because I had to get up early to do chores."
"And yet, you're here with me instead of at home getting some sleep. For
shame,
"Maybe just a little," Lex answered truthfully. "Can I get you
anything to drink
"Oh, good," Lex said, gracefully tucking one leg under himself and
turning on the sofa to face
"Her name's Carol Miller...she's in my history class, and I didn't ask
her. She asked me,"
"Didn't anyone ever teach you to 'just say no',
"Bite me, Lex,"
"OK...you gotta deal! Anytime, anyplace, baby!"
"Lex!"
Lillian found herself smiling. It was good to see Alexander relaxed and having
fun, and while it was obvious to her that he was enamored of his pretty, young
friend, she was equally sure that, at least for the time being, it was still a
platonic friendship. She wasn't sure that
clue.
"Speaking of people turning other people down and hurting their
feelings...,"
Lex's smile faded a little, and he hesitated before answering, "I'm sorry,
"I can tell you've been working *really* hard, Lex,"
Lex took a healthy swallow of his brandy, then let his head fall back on the
cushions, eyes closed, before sighing deeply and answering, "The truth is,
I was planning on going until you told me you had a date. I didn't want to be a
third wheel,
Lillian watched as
Lex rolled his head up to face
"You wouldn't be in the way, Lex. And you're right, I'm 16 years old...I
should be having fun. I should be going to parties with my friends and you
*are* my best friend,"
Lex smiled warmly and patted the hand that was still on his shoulder. His
eyelids were getting heavy, and he answered a little sleepily, "OK, Clark.
You're right. Next year, whether you have a date or not, I'm there."
"You know, we could kill two birds with one stone...next year, why don't
*you* be my date?"
"
Lex yawned and stretched his long legs across the sofa, flexing his toes inside
his thick, warm socks. Clark shifted a little, picking up Lex's legs and laying
his feet in his lap, absently massaging the soles as they conversed about
little unimportant things; Lex's early meeting with his managers, the essay
that Clark had due the next day that he had had to frantically finish in time
to go to the Halloween party.
They were completely comfortable with each other, Lillian noted. The
conversation was effortless, the laughter came easily. They touched each other
in little ways that were light and casual; a hand on a shoulder, a pat on the
back, even the foot massage was chaste and innocent, but she could see that
they were on the verge of something more, and she wondered how much longer
Alexander would be able to restrain himself.
Eventually the conversation slowed and the two friends sat in companionable
silence, both staring into the fire, Clark sipping his cocoa, Lex his brandy,
until Lex began visibly struggling to stay awake, his eyelids fluttering
closed, and his chin dropping to his chest, only to jerk awake a second later,
startled.
"You need to go to bed, Lex. I better go."
Lex's only response was to slide further down the sofa, until he was lying
down, curled up on his side. Within seconds, he was snoring softly. Clark
gently shook his shoulder. "Lex...you need to go to bed," he
repeated.
"Unh, unh. I'm just going to sleep here tonight," Lex said around a
yawn, hunkering down a little deeper into the cushions. "It's already warm
here...my bed is cold." And again, he was asleep almost instantly,
succumbing to fatigue, alcohol, and warm firelight.
Lillian watched as Clark stood and stared down at Lex in indecision, then left
the room. Mere seconds later, he returned with Lex's pillow and a blanket. How
had he done that so quickly, she wondered? He gently lifted Lex's head, sliding
the pillow under him, then covered him with the blanket, tucking it under his
feet, Lex barely stirring at all.
He looked at Lex for a long moment, and Lillian saw what could only be called
adoration in his eyes. He ran long, large fingers across Lex's brow in a gentle
caress, his tanned hand contrasting dramatically with Lex's smooth, pale
forehead.
"Lex?" he whispered. "Lex?"
And when he received no answer, sure that Lex was deeply asleep, the
dark-haired angel bent, pressed a soft kiss to his friend's forehead and
whispered, "'Night, Lex," and left the room.
Lillian had to admit that Victoria Hardwick, though she wasn't the brightest
girl, had been right about three things last year: Clark was very beautiful, he
did indeed have a crush on Lex, and yes, Lex was very interested in the
"produce delivery boy."
The boy *was* too young. A relationship with him would be complicated and
risky. But the hopeless romantic in Lillian decided that Lex's best chance for
happiness lay in Clark Kent.
October 31, 2003
The firelight flickered warmly in the fireplace, casting animated shadows on
the rich wood paneling of the Luthor mansion library. Lillian sighed unhappily
from the armchair where she had been sitting for hours, watching Alexander.
Decanter in one hand, snifter in the other, miserable expression on his
face...the scene before her would have been identical to last year except for
Lex's attire of drawstring sweat pants and a long-sleeve t-shirt.
On this night, with the veil between the living and the dead at its thinnest,
Lillian had crossed over with the thought of Alexander in her heart once more,
her spirit knowing unerringly where to take her to find him. To her surprise,
she had found herself at the old stone mansion again, when she had been sure
that her soul would lead her to the party that last year, Lex had promised his
young friend he would attend.
What could have happened? Had the friendship come to an end? When she saw them
last, the boys were such close friends, perhaps a little *too* close. She was
afraid that sometime in the preceding year, the line of propriety had finally
been crossed and either Lionel or Clark's parents, or both, had forced a
dissolution of the friendship.
Lillian glanced at the clock on the mantel. Her time would be over shortly,
until next year. She knew that soon, she would begin to feel the now familiar
pull, bringing her back to the other side and she was afraid she was going to
have to go before finding out what had happened to Lex's one friend.
Just then, in an eerie reenactment of her previous year's visit, she heard,
once again, the loud footsteps in the hallway, and watched Lex start, then
tense as the sound grew closer. But this year, when his young friend entered
the room, Lex had no greeting, just continued to stare blankly into the fire.
"Lex?"
Lillian looked up at the sound of the soft voice so full of hurt, and was faced
with the sight of Clark, his eyes filled with even more hurt. It was painful to
see his wounded expression and she knew why Lex was adamantly refusing to look
up from the fire.
"You promised, Lex. Just yesterday...you *promised*."
Lex closed his eyes tightly, drew a deep, fortifying breath, and answered,
"I'm sorry, Clark. I had work to finish."
"No. That excuse wasn't good enough last year, but it's *definitely* not
good enough this year," Clark said, his voice wavering slightly.
"This was supposed to be a date Lex...our *first* date." His voice
was incredulous as he muttered softly, "I can't believe you did this to
me...I can't believe you stood me up."
Lillian watched Clark sit on the edge of the sofa, leaning forward with his
elbows on his knees, shaking his head sadly. "I told Lana and Chloe,
Lex...I *told* them. I told them I had feelings for you...that we've been
talking about becoming more than just friends...that you were coming to the
party as my * date*. I waited for *hours*...and when you never showed up...God,
Lex. Lana looked at me with pity and Chloe looked at me like I was
delusional."
"Clark, please...don't make this even harder than it already is," Lex
said. He poured a little more brandy into his glass and Lillian could see the tremble
in his hand. "I wanted to go with you. I really did. But I've been doing a
lot of thinking and...this isn't right for you, Clark."
Clark opened his mouth to speak, but Lex cut him off with an upheld hand,
continuing, "No, Clark. It's not. It's not right for you, it's not right
for your family. I should have realized that on my own sooner."
"What has my family got to do with this, Lex? What do you mean you should
have realized it 'on your own'...who have you been talking to?" Clark
asked frantically. "Did my father say something to you?"
"No, Clark. Actually, your mother said something..." Lex trailed off.
"Mom? She likes you, Lex. Whatever she said, you must have
misunderstood."
"No, I understood her perfectly. I *understand* perfectly," Lex replied.
He took a deep breath before continuing his story, "I went to your house
this morning while you were at school...to help your Dad. We were trying again
to get your ship open...the octagonal key I had made from meteor rocks didn't
work by the way." Clark nodded looking disappointed but not surprised.
Ship? A key made from meteor rocks? Lillian had no idea what the boys were
talking about.
"After we gave up, we went back to the house for coffee. Your parents are
great, Clark...," Lex said wistfully. "Your Dad was really nice
today. He seemed truly grateful to have some help. I still can't believe they
trust me with this...that they trust me with *you*." Lex looked up into
Clark's eyes, "I don't think I can betray that trust, Clark."
"Lex...it doesn't have to be a betrayal," Clark began, his eyes
begging Lex to agree. "We can tell them... before we do anything, we'll
tell them. They like you, Lex...I know they do. And if I tell them how I feel
about you...if I tell them how long I've loved you..."
"Clark...don't." Lex's eyes were squeezed tightly shut again.
"Your Mom said...after your Dad went outside to get back to work...your
Mom and I were talking. We started talking about you. She's really proud of
you, Clark. She told me how sad she had been when she thought she would never
have a child...how right it had seemed when you literally fell out of the sky,
practically into the backyard."
Lillian started. Was Lex saying what she thought he was saying? A ship...
falling out of the sky. Was Clark...?
"Lex, I don't see what..."
"She started talking about how much she would miss you when you started
college," Lex interrupted. "But she said that she knew it was all
part of growing up, the cycle of life. She said that she hoped you would meet a
nice girl in college, settle down, have a family...she thinks that when that
happens, you'll finally be able to feel "normal"...feel like you fit
in, like you belong. She's right, Clark. You deserve a normal life," Lex
said quietly. "And she *really* wants grandchildren. I can't give her
grandchildren, Clark," Lex finished with a sad smile.
Clark sat speechless, staring into the fire, and Lex looked stricken to see
silent tears rolling down his face. "Clark...please don't...," he
started, then continued softly, "I wish I could say that I could be casual
about this...that we could date and fool around and then go our separate ways,
you to
your college girlfriend, your house in the suburbs, your 2.5 children. Me
to...my old life. I can't do that, Clark. I haven't had many people in my life
that I've truly cared for. I think you know that you're one of the very
few."
Lex waited, watching Clark wipe his face...waited for some sign that Clark
understood what he was saying...understood and accepted. When Clark remained
silent, he continued "I'm so sorry, Clark. This is killing me, too. But if
I had gone to the party with you tonight...if I had let myself start to feel
like we were *together*..." he trailed off, unwilling to finish the
thought.
Clark took a deep, shuddering breath and finally looked up. "I don't
*want* to meet a nice girl, settle down, and start a family, Lex. That's not
going to make me feel normal. I could spend the rest of my life with the
perfect wife, the perfect house and kids, but I would always be thinking about
you. How normal is that?" He looked away, eyes filling again, then
continued determinedly, "I feel normal with *you* Lex. You know what I am
and you accept me, understand me. And I know *you*...and accept and understand
you. As for grandchildren for my Mom, I doubt I can even have children. You're
a scientist...you know how unlikely it is that two different species could even
reproduce."
Two different species? And a ship falling from the sky? Lillian was shocked,
disbelieving. Clark was...an alien? She laughed a little hysterically, thankful
that the boys couldn't hear her. For years she had longed for the right person
to find Alexander, to care for him, make him feel loved and needed. To protect
him and watch out for him in the treacherous and lonely world that, as a
Luthor, he was forced to live in.
She was sure now that Clark was that person. He had just professed his love.
His need and longing and passion for Lex was there in his eyes for anyone to
see. He was tender and gentle, kind and thoughtful. She had known since last
year that Clark was not interested in Lex's money or power...that he had
refused every expensive gift Lex had ever tried to give him. And he had saved
Lex's life on more than one occasion. She knew it was a bit cliche, but she
couldn't stop herself from thinking that Clark was *truly* Alexander's
Hephaestion.
And he was an alien. Her laughter trilled unheard as the irony struck her. She
had thought many times that there was no one of this earth worthy of her
Alexander. She had been right. His perfect match was an alien.
She watched them intently. She knew that Alexander was determined to do what he
thought was right for Clark, and she thought it was terribly noble of him, but
she could see him weakening, eyes hopeful that Clark was right...that maybe the
best way for Clark to have a happy, normal life was to be with the person he
loved...the person who loved him.
"Clark," Lex began, but couldn't seem to continue when Clark moved
closer on the sofa, then even closer.
Clark continued scooting down the sofa until he was so close that one thigh
pressed against Lex's, faces mere inches apart. Clark's beautiful eyes half
closed, his long lashes casting deep shadows on his face in the firelight, he
breathed out, "Kiss me, Lex...just once. A *real* kiss. Then tell me that
we shouldn't be together."
"Clark...no. That's not fair..." Lex said, leaning back away from
Clark. And before Lillian could stop herself, before she even knew what she was
doing, she placed one cool, shimmery hand on the back of each boy's head and
just pushed*...pushed as hard as she could...pushed them together...pushed
until their noses bumped and their lips met.
"Please, Alexander," she said aloud. "Please take a
chance." She knew Lex couldn't hear her, but when he immediately stopped
fighting her touch, giving up and giving in, leaning into Clark to cover the
boy's beautiful mouth with his own...she had to wonder. She liked to think that
maybe his *heart* had heard her, even if his ears couldn't.
With great regret, she felt the unstoppable pull begin; felt herself being
tugged through the veil into the other dimension. The last thing she saw before
the scene faded before her eyes was the sight of Clark and Lex, bodies pressed
together, Clark's hands on Lex's waist, Lex's fingers threaded through Clark's
hair, and soft, wet lips sliding urgently together. That picture would stay
with her and give her hope that when she next returned, she would find
Alexander happy at last.
************************************
October 31, 2004
Another Samhain evening, and Lillian found herself at the mansion once more.
This couldn't be right; surely this year Lex had finally made it to Clark's
annual party. But as she entered the familiar library, she found Alexander
again. He was sitting all alone in front of the roaring fire, a glass of brandy
in his hand, his handsome face looking...
Peaceful. Content. *Happy*.
Lillian looked up at the now familiar sound of loud footsteps in the hallway,
and saw Clark enter the room carrying a tray ladened with graham crackers,
marshmallows, Hershey's chocolate bars, and two mugs of steaming hot chocolate.
With a huge grin on his face, he announced, "It's s'mores time. I can't
believe you've never had s'mores, Lex."
Lex returned the grin, but looked at the items on the tray dubiously.
"This 's'mores' business looks and sounds kind of messy to me,
Clark."
Clark impaled a couple of marshmallows on a shish-ka-bob skewer that the cook,
Mary, had supplied him with. "That's half the fun! Come on Lex, put a
marshmallow on your stick..."
Lex dropped his head, gave it a little shake, and chuckled, then leered up at
Clark and said, "OK, Clark. I'll put a marshmallow on my....stick."
"God, Lex. You're so nasty," Clark laughed. "Seriously, come on.
This is great stuff...you'll love it."
Lex, deciding to humor his friend, followed Clark's lead and was soon making
his very first batch of s'mores. "I'm really sorry about the party,
Clark," he began.
"S'okay," Clark managed to say, spraying only a few graham cracker
crumbs from his s'mores-stuffed mouth. He chewed and swallowed before saying,
"You really *did* have to work this time."
"We could still go if you want...the party's probably just getting
started," Lex offered.
"No way. You're exhausted, and to tell you the truth, I'd rather just stay
here this year. Since my birthday, I don't really have a curfew anymore, but
still...I know Mom and Dad want me home at a decent time. If we went to the
party, I'd be lucky to have a half hour to spend alone with you before I needed
to get home. This way, I have about," Clark glanced at his watch and
grinned,
"three hours or so."
After assembling another s'mores sandwich, Clark continued, "So...do you
think anything...weird...will happen this year?"
"I don't know. You swear you felt it too...last year, I mean?"
"I swear, Lex. Right before we kissed I felt something cool touch the back
of my head, and push me really hard. I still say it was your Mom," he
said.
Lillian perked up at that. It was true, of course, but
what in the world had made the boy think of it?
"
"I know. It was that article she wrote for the Halloween issue of the
Torch last year...the one about the history of Halloween, and about how the
Celtic people believed that their dead family members could return to visit
them for that one night of the year. They would even set a place for them at
the table. Think we should leave some s'mores out for your Mom?" he asked,
grinning.
Lex laughed indulgently. "You're nuts, Clark, but I love you anyway."
"Call me nuts if you want, but this is my version of the story: your Mom
got tired of seeing you lonely all the time, and she knew how happy you would
be with me, so she just sort of *pushed* us together," he said. Then
grinning hugely, "She likes me."
Yes, Clark. I do like you very much, Lillian thought, smiling. The boy had
summed the situation up perfectly. She wondered if it was a lucky guess or if
his alienness gave him a perception that humans didn't have.
"She really *would* have liked you if she had lived to meet you,
Clark," Lex smiled affectionately. "Now eat your s'mores."
Lillian watched the scene before her with interest, glowing with the joy of
finding Lex happy and content, laughing delightedly at the sight of her
elegant, meticulously neat young son trying to delicately bite into his
s'mores. She looked on Clark, as well, heart swelling with love and affection
for the sweet boy who just might succeed in filling Alexander's life with
something more meaningful than corporate takeovers and dollar signs.
Lex finished his first graham cracker-creation, and took a sip of his brandy,
twisting his face a little and shuddering. "S'mores and brandy aren't too
good together," he concluded.
Clark laughed and crawled across the floor to come to a stop between Lex's
legs. Reaching up to take the glass of brandy from Lex's hand, and sitting it
on the table beside the sofa, he leaned in close, murmuring into Lex's mouth,
"So put," a kiss, "the brandy," another kiss,
"away," he finished, opening his mouth to cover Lex's, the kisses
that were tiny pecks becoming deep and passionate, heated.
Lex pulled away first. "You know you have chocolate and marshmallow all
over your mouth, don't you?" he asked Clark, grinning.
"Hmmm.....yeah. You do too...now. I shared my mess," Clark answered
happily.
Lex took Clark's chin in hand and pulled, "God, your face *is* a mess.
Come here." Clark's eyelids fluttered, then closed as Lex slowly and
thoroughly licked the sticky residue from Clark's face. There were soft moans
and whispered words, and much fumbling between their bodies in the dim
firelight. When Clark pulled back and Lillian caught a glimpse of her son's
erection lying heavily in Clark's hand, Clark's dark head lowering to his lap,
she looked quickly away and said loudly to herself, "Oh my...I should
go."
She stepped into the hallway, lighter and happier than she had been in years.
But what was she going to do with herself for the rest of her evening? What did
her other "spirit friends" usually do on this night. Most spent time
with their families, just as she did. But a few of her more rascally friends
enjoyed "haunting" old foes and nemeses, putting a little fear into
them for just the one night. A mischievous little glint entered her eyes as a
thought occurred to her, "I haven't seen Lionel in so long..."
************************************
Later that night...
Lillian hadn't had so much fun in years. She had always been so careful, not
wanting to alarm Alexander, but it was open season on Lionel. A part of her
still loved him, loved the charming man that had first swept her off her feet,
but that didn't stop her from taking a gleeful pleasure in frightening
him...payback for all the times that he had frightened and bullied Lex.
Satisfied and happy, she decided to head back to the mansion for one last look
at her boy before the night ended. Surely, he and Clark were...decent...by now.
She arrived to find them sleeping, still in the library, spooned together on
the sofa, under a blanket. She watched them sleep for a moment; two beautiful
young men, fitting like pieces of a puzzle, belonging together. They looked
like angels, she thought.
She glanced over at Lex's unfinished and forgotten brandy, then picked up the
stopper and closed the decanter. At the faint tinkling of glass, Lex's eyes
opened, and he looked around the room. "Mom?" he whispered.
Lillian felt the familiar tug beginning, pulling her back to the world of the
dead, and impulsively reached out to gently run her fingers along his scalp. He
shivered, but smiled, and said, "Clark saved you some s'mores."
Her last view of Alexander was a little watery from the tears swimming in her
eyes, and she called out, "I'll see you next year, love," hoping that
somehow, his heart had heard her.
END
Happy Halloween!