BROKEN VOW
Chapter 2
by Dynlubio
E-mail : [email protected]
Rating: R
Summary: Lex does Lana a favor.
Spoiler: Everything in
Calling and Exodus except Lex and Helen’s relationship did not get complicated
and the wedding and honeymoon took place with out a hitch.
A/N: This is like
an alternate route I wished the writers took.
WARNING: Lex and Helen are
married in this story! And they’re happy... or so it seems...LOL
***
Chapter Two
Her legs burned but she ignored them. Just a few more seconds, she said to herself. She was sweating profusely and her shirt stuck to her like second skin. Her arms pumped violently as her eyes focused on her target -- the front door. Finally, her Sketchers halted a few steps away.
She breathed heavily as she lifted her hand to look at the time: 6:46. Not bad, she thought and for the first time since she got out of the house for her daily run, she let herself relax. Her feet planted apart, she bent at the knees and placed her palms on them, watching the beads of sweat fall to the ground. She stayed that way for a couple of minutes until her heart rate slowed down a little. Then she straightened up, wiped her brow, picked up the towel Francois, the Butler, left for her before walking into the mansion.
Despite the fact that she’d been living there for almost a week, Lana still got the shivers every time she was all alone in the house. She was raised in a modest home and somehow something as ostentatious and ancient looking as this one made her feel uncomfortable, like she was being watched.
Well, she was fighting down the uncomfortable feeling as she strode to the heavy table to check the mail. She told Mr. Sullivan to have her mail delivered to the mansion. Her heart sank when all she saw was a postcard from the newly-weds. She flipped it over to read Lex’s handwriting but when she turned it over to look at the picture of a beautiful sunset, she frowned, thinking of the sunsets she watched with Clark up on the loft. She was too deep in her thoughts that she actually didn’t notice that she was at that moment, being watched.
"I’m not a big fan of sunsets, myself."
Her head snapped up sharply as she turned to face the owner of the voice. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Lex! What are you doing here?"
Lex Luthor was standing in the foyer hands in his pockets, a smirk on his face. His shoulders lifted slightly as he answered, "Last I checked I still owned this place."
Lana laughed as she walked closer to him, her face suddenly flushed from surprised and joy at seeing someone who still liked her as a person. "That’s not what I meant, and you know it. You’re not due back for another week."
"A week in the Caribbean was enough to prove my theory."
She waited for him to go on. When he didn’t, she asked impatiently, "Which is?"
"There’s no such thing as a honeymoon."
Lana knew Lex was just trying to make her feel better and she did. "Well, I’m glad you and Helen are back. The house was getting bigger each day."
"Does that explain the frown earlier?"
"Yes, it does," she answered flippantly. She looked around, the house seemed empty, but then again it always did. "Where’s Mrs. Luthor?"
"In the hospital, there was an emergency."
A stricken look crossed her face. "What happened? Is she—"
Lex shook his head gently to stop her from talking too much and way too fast. "There was a pileup last night. Major damage… the hospital called and we had to fly back immediately. Based on the damage, she won’t be home for hours."
She didn’t know what to say. And suddenly the house didn’t seem as huge and her shirt seemed even stickier. "I’d love to stay and chat but I have to change and go to work." She smiled at him before almost running to the stairs.
Lana closed the door to her room and leaned against it, feeling exhausted and heavy. Lex was back. She didn’t realize until now that she actually feared it. Sure, a part of her appreciated Lex’s help. But another part -- the same part that hesitated to open the envelope Lex gave her about her biological father -- didn’t want him back. She was afraid Lex would indeed find Clark, afraid that she wouldn’t like what he would find.
She pushed herself up and decided to shower. She had a little more than an hour before the Talon was due to open.
****
What could possibly be more boring than to watch coffee drip? Nothing, Lana answered. She sighed as she dragged her eyes away from the percolator to the half filled café. Her two waitresses were efficient enough that all Lana was left to do was handle the cash register and watch coffee drip.
The bells tinkled, signaling the arrival of a new customer. Her eyes took in the sight of Lex in the usual shades and a suit that could probably feed a third world island for a day. He smiled at her, taking off the glasses and setting them down on the counter between them. She couldn’t count the number of times he’d done that and she found it reassuring -- some things never change.
She smiled back at him. "The usual, Mr. Luthor?"
"What else is there?"
"Well, today we have a nice assortment of cookies and pastries."
Lex looked at the tray she lifted. "As appetizing as they look, I’m afraid I can’t. I have to run."
She fixed his coffee in mere seconds -- she could do it with her eyes closed, she’d bet him once and won -- and handed it to him. She held out her hand to receive the fifty dollar bill he gave her. "I’ll go get your change." She rang it up on the register.
Lex leaned against the counter, his eyes surveying the place. "How are things?"
"You know something? It’s really strange because I thought it would be slow since its summer but a lot of kids stay over for hours, just hanging out with their friends, sometimes for an entire day. Yesterday, a group of college kids worked on their thesis here -- I think they like the ambiance and -- "
"Maybe I should rephrase that. Are you okay?"
Lex eyes were fixed on hers and she knew she couldn't get out of it without a truthful answer. She pursed her lips and nodded. "I’m trying to be."
His free hand took the change from her. "When you want to talk about it, I could squeeze it in between a multi-million dollar merger and talk with my partners about a rumored strike.
She smiled, trying desperately not to seem as unhappy as she really was. "Glad I fit into your schedule."
"I mean it." His eyes never left hers; never faltered. Some things never changed.
"I know. Thank you."
He accepted her answer, said goodbye and walked out as swiftly as he had entered. Lana watched him leave; glad of the reprieve he’d given her, for now.
*dynlubio 09/03
