Title: Deal with the Devil
Chapter Completed: November 30, 2004
“Home sweet home,” Anna muttered to herself sadly, as she tossed another book into one of the stacked cardboard boxes. She had fled back to the dorm, back home? But found she was nowhere again. This place, this life was all the perks of being Lex Luthor’s girlfriend – lover. It wasn’t really hers, never was, not really. Or at least, standing there, she didn’t feel as if it was hers. One minuet you’re sure of where you are and where you’re going, and the next you’re lost. Lost standing in your own living room.
This wasn’t what she was thinking when she left. She was sure that leaving was going to lead the way for her to find her life, to gain one. But had she been thinking clearly when she fled in the mess of tears and packed bags? Had she been thinking at all?
There she was standing in the middle of the apartment style dorm room. A small stack of boxes was forming in the one corner and another room waiting to be packed. Without Lex she had no way of supporting herself, let alone pay for school. But when she left here, she had no where to send her things, no where to store or start over the shattered pieces of her life. Returning to her father, er Dr. Clarkson as she would forever refer to him now, was out of the question. It was far worse to return to him then the idea of living on the street, or crawling back to Smallville. She was so sure of what she was doing when she left, but now she was just plain lost.
And these were the anxious thoughts that were running through her head.
A solid knock sounded on the weak door.
Both annoyed and relieved by the distraction, she unlocked and opened the door, “What do YOU want?” Reflexively she closed the door slightly, leaving it open only enough to see the man on the other side, but closed enough to use as a safety barrier.
“Aren’t you going to let me in Anna?” Lionel smirked smugly; not the least bit put off by the reaction. In fact, it only pleased him.
Unsure why, she slowly opened the door wide enough to let him in. It was not as if he could get away with anything, at least ten people had to have seen him coming up to her room. Everyone always saw everything here. And the walls were thin enough for everyone to know everyone else’s business.
“Your dorm,” he observed, looking over the small apartment style room.
“Not sure for how much longer,” she snorted, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, and not moving from her place beside the door.
“Ah, yes,” he turned to face her, “I heard about you leaving Smallville. I’m sorry to hear about the unpleasantness.”
“Hmm,” she muttered, setting her jaw and glaring at him. He knew all too well of he ‘unpleasantness’ that had made her leave the small town. In fact, he had a front row seat for most of it, and a hand in even more.
“Not planning on staying?” he motioned to the stack of boxes.
Her eyes drifted from the stack back to the businessman, “Can’t see how I can.”
“Your father?” he raised an eyebrow.
She scoffed, “I haven’t spoken to Dr. Clarkson in quite a while, and don’t plan on starting anytime soon for that matter.”
He nodded at this, finding an affection for the new strong will that had surfaced in the girl. Taking it upon himself, he took a seat on the small couch, “I think I may be able to help you with all this.”
Her eyes widened, questioning. She took a few steps closer to where the man was seated in her living room, abandoning her station at the door.
He motioned for her to sit, but she declined. Crossing his left leg over his right knee he leaned back, “I hate to see potential go to waste. And I hear your professors believe you have potential for corporate law.” He paused to make sure she was following, “I’d like to make sure that you don’t go to waste.”
“Why?” she shook her head, taking a seat in the chair across from him.
“Past indiscretions,” he rested his head on his bridged fingers, “and I’d hate to see my son’s potential go to waste also.”
She huffed slightly, glaring at him. Waiting to see what was going to drop next.
“You could help me with that, just assist in a little…push,” his smug smirk appeared on his face.
“And how would I do that?”
“Just give him a little space,” he moved fluidly, talking with the aid of his expressive hands, “I know all of this has taken a toll on him, not to mention you my dear, and I just know he needs time to get his head on straight. A little time to organise himself in his work.”
She was still confused, “What am I supposed to do?”
“Just don’t contact him,” he started, matter-of-factly, “far be it from me to stand in the way, when Lex contacts you I’ll pose no interference. I just think my son needs a little time and space.”
The idea of a little time seemed like a logical idea to the girl, “and just what do I get for this time and space?”
The evil grin twisted the corner of his mouth; “I’ll more than happily make sure you continue your education and of course are well supported. Never want of anything.”
Anna seemed to think it over, uneasy and yet interested. It could solve one of her problems, and it really wasn’t a matter of doing what Lionel wanted her to. It was her plan to get away and gain this time and space from Lex. So really, Lionel was going to act as a school loan in order for Anna to do what she already planned on doing.
She looked up at him, “And how can I trust you?”
He smiled, that twisted turn of his mouth that she had seen before; “Do you have any other option?”
Her mouth dropped open, as if going to reject this whole idea and rightfully throw him out of her place, for however much longer it was hers. But he put his hand up to silence her, thinking better of his quick remark, “How can I trust you my dear? What’s to say you don’t dwindle away the education or allowance? Or form some hidden alliance with my son…ruining both of your chances at potential?”
She had no response.
“Blind faith,” he offered, leaning back in his seat, “based on our shared past, we could prove to be useful to each other here.”
She leaned back in her own seat, mirroring the businessman across from her.
“I doubt either of us have many people we can rely on,” he added smoothly, noticing her mull it all over.
Her eyes had drifted around the room. The room no one had ever come to visit, aside from Lex and now Lionel. Absentmindedly, she ran her tongue over her dry lips and furrowed her brow. She was considering it all.
A tinge of doubt found Lionel and he spoke again; “At least I’ve never lied to you.”
Her eyes shot up to meet his. As sick as it all was, that one fact was true. Lionel had hurt her in more way then she liked to dwell on, but the man had never lied to her. Always offering the most brutal of truths.
“You have yourself a deal Mr. Luthor,” she stretched her arm across to him, offering a closing handshake.
“Please, call me Lionel,” A satisfied smile stretched across his thin lips as he clasped his hand around hers. It was final.
* * * * * * * * *
“Lex?” Lionel called into the vast house.
Lex had all intentions of ignoring his father. He was neither in the mood nor mental stability to deal with his particular brand of parenting, or business savvy for that matter. And he had no need to put up with either.
That was until the next sentence was uttered into the silence.
“I’ve brought you a visitor Lex.”
He perked up with curiosity, and against all better judgement, hope. Could he have brought the one person he wanted to see back? Greater things had happened in this town, under his father’s will. But he failed to hear the twisted, amused grin in the words.
“In here dad,” Lex did his best to look busy behind the grand desk, but in all honesty all he had been doing was staring absently at the pile of papers on its surface. His mind was clouded and lost.
The senior Luthor entered the room, alone.
Lex raised an eyebrow at the absence of a guest. He was sure that that was the reason for the visit, “Dad?”
“I hope you don’t mind me imposing…” Lionel ignored the look from his son, continuing on with his task, “But I hope that you remember you remember our little guest and are willing to allow them back in.” He cast a quick look at the almost excited light in Lex’s eyes before the form entered the office on cue.
Lucas smirked in the direction of his brother, coming to a stop next to their father.
“A visitor to keep you busy and focused Lex. Show him the ropes,” he offered, a smirk forming on his face.
Lex narrowed his eyes. His father had managed to trip him up again. He had been naïve enough to expect something good, only to have his father exploit it. He would have to learn to avoid that, to expect it. To use it.
He came out from behind the desk, “And just what am I supposed to be doing with your protocol son?”
“Were you expecting someone else maybe?” the amused and smug tone was not lost on Lex, “Give the girl some space son, women are finical that way.” Lionel draped his arm over his son’s shoulder, an action that is usually considered warm, fatherly affection but here was nothing more than a cold mannerism. He steered him over to the other Luthor son. “We have to be sure not to waste our potential. Luthors become great men.” And with that, he left the two sons alone, sure that his little push would set everything in motion. He was sure it would.
Lucas smiled as if being finally christened into a new life, a new legacy.
Lex just shook his head, “Don’t think of this as a silver spoon being pushed into your mouth. It’s a curse. Making a deal with the devil.” He looked pointedly at the door their father had left through before returning to his desk.
“Why are you so hard on the old man and this life?” Lucas questioned; gesturing to the magnificent splendour of the whole mansion and life that came with the Luthor name. It was a definite step up and beyond what he had been living in, and any downfall couldn’t be seen from his standpoint.
Lex turned quickly to his brother, realising a crack that he could use against his father, “Dad wants me to share my wisdom with you…I’ll share it. Give you the heads up before it traps you too, explain just what living under Lionel entails…”
