The Outsider

[phoenixnz]

November

Whoops, my bad, as my dear darling brother would say. (That’s sarcasm, by the way) I haven’t written an entry in so long. Truth is I’ve been so busy, going back and forth between Gotham and Smallville. Yes, you heard it right. Bruce and I are officially a couple.

Honestly? I’ve always believed in the whole no sex before marriage thing. And you know, Lex laughed his head off when he found out I ... well, I mean, I’ve had relationships, I just never got around to ... and, well ... damn, I’m blushing. I guess in a lot of ways I’m still innocent.

Whoops, Lex has come in. I’m sitting in the study writing this. Back in a mo.

(Half an hour later)

Sorry, he wanted to discuss the latest media campaign. I minored in communications while I was studying my business degree and learned a little about the media, so it helps in this case. Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Bruce and sex. I mean, we talked about it and that, but, well, I’ve kind of been shying away from the subject.

But let me tell you, those years he lived in Asia have been good for him in a way because he has learned techniques that you would not believe. And me being a first (ahem) timer, well, let’s just say that he knows how to deal with that.

I know what you’re thinking. I should have held onto my principles. But the thing is, I realised that after nearly dying from liver disease, that I shouldn’t waste time worrying about something like that. And this is not a casual relationship. Not for me. I don’t know how Bruce feels about it, but ... okay, I admit it, I’m in love with Bruce Wayne! There, I said it. And oh god, Lex is going to drive me insane if he finds out what I’ve just said.

I suppose it sounds kind of hypocritical, especially when you think of how I’ve encouraged Lex and Clark so much. But then again, it’s not like they can get married. Not yet. For one thing, Clark’s only eighteen, and while that’s above the age of consent, he’s too young for that sort of commitment. Plus, the state still doesn’t recognise gay marriage. They are so unbelievably backwards.

Anyway, I’m digressing. The point is, Bruce and I are getting along really well. Which is great.

So, where was I? Right, I was explaining why I’d been so busy. Well, after the docs gave me a clean bill of health, I went back to work and my clients were really happy to see me. I went to Star City for a couple of weeks because Oliver Queen needed some work on a project. He was happy to hear that I’d fully recovered.

He’s a nice guy, if a little bit arrogant. Lex reminded me to be careful around Oliver. Of course, his judgement is kind of clouded by the fact that Oliver used to bully him in school. Anyway, Oliver was surprised by the fact that Lex turned out to be my brother, but he isn’t holding it against me. He just says I was lucky not to be raised by Lionel. I kind of have to agree with him there.

Anyway, Lex was talking about throwing a costume party for Hallowe’en, but instead we all decided to go to the one being held at the Talon. Bruce begged off. Party pooper! I am so going to get him back for that one. So I was dateless. But I wasn’t the only one. I’d heard Chloe was too.

She’s been working the graveyard shift at the Daily Planet. Lex talked the managing editor into giving Chloe a shot at an internship by upping the advertising budget for Luthorcorp. Chloe got kind of annoyed at him for that, but he was only trying to be a good friend! It’s not like he was asking the woman to give Chloe a column! I know! (Sigh) Chloe wants to make it on her own, but it’s nice to have a little help.

Anyway, newbie apparently gets the worst shifts. So she’s been stuck working nights and studying at Met U.

Now, where was I?

Oh yeah, the party. Well, I bet you’re wondering what we each chose for our costumes. Lex wanted him and Clark to go as Alexander the Great and Hephaestion but I thought that was a bad idea.

“Geez, obvious much?” I commented.

“Why not?” he tried to argue. “They’re supposed to be known as lovers.”

“You want your ass kicked from here to the state line? The town’s really not ready for you guys to come out so publicly. I mean, they prefer it to be behind closed doors, know what I mean?”

“Antony and Cleopatra then,” Lex said.

“Geez Lex, I may be gay but I draw the line at cross-dressing.”

Lex grinned at Clark, then shrugged as if he was suggesting it was worth a shot.

“It’s Hallowe’en. Go as something scary. Although, you’re scary all by yourself Lex.”

“Ha ha, sis. Very funny.”

“I know, Dr Frankenstein. Clark can be the monster. He’s big enough. And he can be scary when he wants to.”

“I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted,” Clark complained.

“I like that idea,” Lex said leering at Clark.

“Do you have to make everything sound dirty?” I shot back.

Lex just gave me a look. “Whatever, virgin girl.”

“Not anymore,” I told him gleefully.

“Oh yeah? Since when?”

“Last week,” I said smugly.

“And Bruce still wants to hang out with you?”

I punched him in the shoulder for that one. Little s**t!

Anyway, since Lex is the quintessential mad scientist, he did like the idea of being Frankenstein, and I helped Clark with the make-up. I have to admit, he looked pretty good when we were done, if I do say so myself

What about my costume? Well, I decided to go as Morticia, from the Addams Family.

We got plenty of stick over our costumes but Lex loved it. Anyway, Chloe didn’t show up. It turns out her roommate had pledged for some sorority and Chloe smelled a rat. As she does. And get this – they all had some weird disease that made them like vampires! Clark got a call from Chloe telling him what was going on and of course he dashed off to save the day.

Anyway, Chloe got bitten and Clark came back home telling Lex all about it. So Lex told him about the problem of one of Luthorcorp’s people investigating it a couple of years ago and getting the same weird disease. So it turns out he had already had his scientists working on a cure and they dosed all the girls – after they’d cured Chloe, of course.

I bet you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned the talk with Lionel. Well, that’s because we haven’t had it yet. I swear that man is more slippery than an eel! Every time Lex and I try to corner him he makes up some excuse and he’s gone. I’m so frustrated I want to shake him.

Yawn. Guess it’s time I went to bed. Oh wait, I hear Clark. Whoops, and Lex is yelling at him. What has he done now? (Going to investigate)

(Ten minutes later). Okay, I’m back. It turns out that Clark was investigating a back street strip club called the Windgate Club. Lex had membership there. And let me tell you, Clark was not happy about that. Anyway, Lois was apparently investigating the same thing. Well, she’d been dragged there by Chloe who had been investigating the death of a girl. The girl had apparently worked there.

Anyway, somehow Lois ended up on stage in this skimpy costume. Ugh the thought. I mean, I don’t like being ogled – but then Lois is more confident than me. Oops, getting off the topic.

So, Lois spots Clark at one of the tables and she comes down and pretends to give him a lap dance. Which Lex was not happy about.

“The only lap dance you should get is one from me,” Lex told him.

“Eww, TMI Lex,” I said when I went out to investigate. He just glared at me.

“I didn’t have a choice, Lex,” Clark protested. “She saw me.”

“But then you go and get yourself arrested!”

“Lex, calm down,” I told him.

“Come on Callie. He could have got into a world of trouble. What if that guy decides to pursue it?”

It turned out that Lois had been kidnapped by a guy who was some kind of diplomat. He’d murdered the girl, and it turns out that she was having an affair with a friend of Jonathan’s.

Two days later

Well, dear diary, I can now tell you that between Chloe and Lex they have seen to it that the guy we thought was going to get away with it scot free has got what he deserves. But I kind of feel sorry for Jack Jennings, Clark’s uncle. The whole scandal has meant he has had to drop his candidacy for re-election as a senator. He would have won too, because the guy he was running against was a complete unknown.

Jack would have actually had some real stiff competition this time around, if we, that is me and Clark, hadn’t persuaded Lex that it wasn’t the right time. We’re both well aware of his political ambitions, and while I applaud ambition and his desire to get the laws changed, particularly when it comes to gay marriage, I think he needs to bide his time. People still tend not to trust Luthors. I mean, I know people in Smallville like me, but once others hear that I’m Lex’s sister, well, they tend to give me a wide berth, if you know what I mean.

But the upshot of this whole affair is that Jonathan has decided to run as senator. And how cool is that? And Lex is right behind him. All the way. He’s offered his support in any way he can – financial or otherwise and Clark managed to persuade his dad to take the offer. This is so cool! And I just know he’s going to win! He’s the type of man people trust.

And you know? He reminds me of my Dad a lot. Sure, he’s stubborn and pig-headed, and sometimes he gets a little narrow-minded. It took him months to come around to the fact that Clark was not only gay, but also dating a Luthor! I somehow think he would have been happier if it had been me, the ten year age gap notwithstanding, but that’s another matter.

[gem65]

And you know? He reminds me of my Dad a lot. Sure, he’s stubborn and pig-headed, and sometimes he gets a little narrow-minded. It took him months to come around to the fact that Clark was not only gay, but also dating a Luthor! I somehow think he would have been happier if it had been me, the ten year age gap notwithstanding, but that’s another matter.

I really enjoyed this update. And I love the fact that Jonathan still runs for Senator. And it's interesting that Lex isn't his opponent.

[phoenixnz]

And it's interesting that Lex isn't his opponent.

I kind of think that Lex wouldn't have run if he and Clark had still been close friends then.

Glad you liked the update.

[BabyDee]

I kind of think that Lex wouldn't have run if he and Clark had still been close friends then.

Well, he wouldn't have run against Jonathan, but I don't think Jonathan should have run, either. He had no way to sustain his campaign financially, and had had no interest in running up until that point. But hey - this is Smallville, where anyone can get a job doing anything they like!!!

Awesome update, Leanne. Callie's fast outpacing JK as my favourite of all your original characters. She's such a delight, and I love the relationship she has with all the SV regulars.

And she's dating Bruce Wayne, whoo-hoo! He'll definintely show her a thing or two between the sheets. And I love that its canon that he spent time in Asia, so let's hear it for the tantric sex and hour-long orgasms!!!

Again, brilliant update. More soon, please!

[phoenixnz]

November 12

Well, the crap certainly hit the fan around here. The threat that I overheard Lionel talking about with that guy? Well, we, that is, Lex, Clark and I, think he may have revealed himself at last. And Lionel was right about the identity. It’s Milton Fine!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Chloe got sent a mysterious rock at her dorm at Met U. Apparently it was supposed to be from Lex. She thought it was odd that Lex would be sending her a rock, but she went with it. Anyway, Clark picked it up and he got a splinter from it. Turns out it was some kind of weird silver Kryptonite. Or so he thought.

A day later and Clark was getting these weird hallucinations. Like someone was stalking him at Central Kansas, threatening to expose him to the world. The way he talked, it sounded almost as if he thought Lex was the one making the threat. And Lex wouldn’t do that. He loves him!

Then he’s at the farm and he has this other hallucination of Jonathan and Lionel talking, and it almost looked like Jonathan was selling Clark out. But it seems so ridiculous, given what we know about Lionel.

Finally, according to Clark, when he calmed down that was, he saw Lex and I talking and we were apparently plotting to study him for some experiment with meteor freaks. And that was when he grabbed me.

Lex and I had been talking about a Luthorcorp project – going over some business matters, when Clark marched in.

“Did you really think you could fool me? Huh?”

Lex tried to grab Clark as Clark made a beeline for me. He pushed me against the wall, his hand around my throat.

“Clark?” Lex’s voice sounded almost panicked and I was close to blacking out. He was squeezing me so hard around the throat! “Clark! Let her go! Clark, stop!”

I don’t remember what happened next. Lex told me that he tried to get Clark off me, all while Clark was babbling something about he’d always known he shouldn’t trust Luthors, and that there was no way he was going to allow us to put him in a lab.

Then, Lex says, Clark dragged my semi-unconscious body out of the room so fast that Lex didn’t know what to do, but he began chasing after Clark. He thinks that Clark somehow got it into his head that I’d become corrupted by living with Lex and he thought he could ‘save me’ from myself.

That was when Milton Fine showed up. And he showed Clark his powers. Using some weird device he pulled the splinter out of Clark and Clark quickly got back to normal.

I don’t know whether Lex was more scared or angry at Clark for what had happened. After all, he’d just about strangled me to death, then dragged me off like some Neanderthal. But once I recovered – after a night in SMC mind you, I convinced Lex that it was okay. That somehow the silver Kryptonite had affected Clark’s mind and made him a little nuts.

Funny thing about that rock. It vanished from Chloe’s dorm. Anyway, Milton Fine is Kryptonian. But we have our doubts about this so-called Kryptonian being here to help Clark.

Ooh, Lex is calling me. We’ve been trying to corner Lionel, and he’s been conspicuous by his absence. But we really need to find out what he, or that is, Jor-El, knows about Milton Fine. Anyway, he’s here.

(Twenty minutes later)

Well, that was interesting! Lex and I did manage to corner Lionel. Finally! Here’s my version of the conversation.

“Dad, we need to talk to you.”

“Son, can this wait? I’m extremely busy.”

“No, it can’t,” Lex snapped. “We’ve been trying to talk to you for weeks. We know you know what’s been going on and we need to get a few things straight. Now tell us what you know about Milton Fine!”

“Or rather, what Jor-El knows about Milton Fine,” I added.

Lionel quickly tried to bluster his way out of it.

“Milton Fine? Jor-El? Really! What would I know about these two individuals?”

But his eyes were wild, looking this way and that and he knew he was busted.

“You’d make a lousy poker player Dad. You can’t bluff to save your life.”

“Besides, I saw you with that guy. I heard you two talking and I know it was about Milton Fine.”

He looked at me steadily, as if challenging me.

“Really, young Callie , your imagination knows no bounds.”

“I didn’t imagine you talking to him that night, Lionel. Now talk to us. Tell us what you know.”

“I don’t know anything,” he denied.

“Liar!” Lex shouted.

“Son, really, you need to control your emotions. You’re never going to get anywhere in business if you don’t ...”

That did it. Together we pushed him against the wall and glared fiercely at him.

“Do you ever stop talking out of your ass, Lionel?” I said. “Now we want to talk to the puppet master.”

“I have no idea what you’re ....”

“We know Jor-El was controlling you after the meteor shower,” Lex told him. With that he dropped his shoulders in defeat.

“I am merely the oracle. I’m hardly the puppet. If you want to talk to Jor-El, you must go to the source. I cannot help you.”

“But you know more than you’re telling about Milton Fine. And what happened this spring,” Lex pointed out.

Sighing, Lionel looked us both over.

“All right. I will tell you what I know. Now let me go, children.”

Children? Did he just call us children? I looked at Lex and he sighed in annoyance.

“Fine,” he said.

Letting him go, we followed our father into the den, watching as he picked up the decanter of scotch and pulled the stopper. He sniffed the contents before pouring out a small tumbler of the liquid.

“Nothing like a fine Scottish Highland,” he sighed in pleasure. Then he looked at both of us. “It’s the one thing Lex and I share,” he told me. “A love of a good Scotch.”

“You’re avoiding the subject Lionel,” I said, grimacing. I don’t like to drink much and I usually stick to a good wine.

Lionel just sipped the Scotch and closed his eyes in contentment.

“You know, your mother was always trying to get me to, hmm, how did she put it, educate my palate?”

“Off-topic, Dad.”

But Lionel wasn’t to be swayed.

“I may have come from inauspicious beginnings, but I did learn to appreciate the finer things in life,” he commented. “But of course, you know all of this, Callie?” he observed keenly.

“Where is this going?” I sighed, tapping my foot on the wooden floor, crossing my arms over my chest.

He snickered. “So impatient. Just like your brother.”

“Lionel ...” I said warningly. Lex was clearly chomping at the bit and his patience wasn’t going to hold out much longer.

“Ruled by your emotions. Both of you. I’m surprised you’re both so successful at what you do. Proud, of course, but surprised. After all, good business doesn’t involve emotions, does it Lex?”

“This isn’t about business, Dad. This involves someone we care about. Now stop stalling and talk to us. Or so help me ...”

“Now, Clark is another who is ruled by his emotions. Or perhaps I should call him Kal-El. It is, after all, his true name.”

“Call him whatever you like. But if you do anything to hurt him, I swear ...” Lex said.

“Son, calm down. I am not threatening your ... your lover in any way. No, he is facing a much bigger threat.”

“You mean, Milton Fine,” I said.

“We, that is, J’onn J’onzz and I, believe Milton Fine may be an artificial intelligence known as Brainiac. Or rather, the Brain Interactive Construct. Now I don’t know the full story. I am only Jor-El’s Oracle, and therefore Kal-El’s guide, so I don’t know the history of this Brainiac. But I do know that the threat Kal-El faced in spring is only the tip of the iceberg.”

“So there’s more of them? More Kryptonians?” Lex asked. “Is this Brainiac planning on bringing them here?”

“I don’t know what Brainiac’s plan is. You’ll have to get that straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”

“Wait. Who’s J’onn J’onzz?” I asked, having only just caught on to the name.

“He is the being you saw. He has been here, guiding Kal-El, assisting him when necessary.”

“So is he Kryptonian?” Lex asked.

“Martian, actually. He and I have been working together to try and uncover Brainiac’s motives.”

“If Milton Fine is Brainiac, then why would he try and get in the middle of Lex and Clark?” I asked.

Lionel looked at me apologetically. “I don’t know. I can only tell you that I don’t like the interest he is taking in either one of you. I know I do not deserve the title, Callie, but I am your father, and it is my job to protect my children.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Milton Fine is obviously very interested in you since he discovered your relationship to Lex. Or did you not realise that he has been digging up information on your background as well?”

“So you’ve been watching him then?”

“Not me,” he said, indicating that J’onzz was the one doing the watching.

But my heart had skipped a beat when Lionel had said Fine was interested in me as well. What could he possibly want with me?

I have to say, Dear Diary, that if it is true that Fine is this artificial intelligence, the thought that he/it has an interest in me is extremely worrying.

November 19

Well, Brainiac has shown his true colours. Poor Clark. He nearly lost his Mom because of that ... ooh, it makes me so mad when I think about what nearly happened.

I was in Gotham when it all went down. I told Bruce the gist of what Lionel had said and he wanted me to stay with him for a few days.

“If this Milton Fine has taken an interest in you, then I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

Which is Bruce’s way of saying he cares about me and wants to protect me. Of course, his idea of protection is to teach me self-defence. But really, if this Milton Fine is as powerful as Clark, then what point is learning self-defence?

”The point,” my boyfriend patiently explained, when he had me in an almost headlock, and he wasn’t gentle! “...is learning how to use your enemy’s strength against him.”

“Oh, you mean like this?” I said, manoeuvring myself out of the headlock and turning it around on him before wrestling him to the floor.

“Smarty pants,” he said with a smirk, kicking his foot out and sweeping me onto the mat.

Well, then, of course, we got into wrestling of another kind. I really love the way Bruce’s mind works sometimes.

Mm, where was I before I distracted myself with lascivious thoughts. Mm, Bruce. Damn, but he has such an amazing body. And what an incredible kisser! Sigh! Whoops, there I go again. Um, so I was explaining about what happened with Clark. Well, Lex told me all about it.

Apparently, Martha was coming home from work and Lois had dropped her off because her car was in the shop. She was just about to go inside when she saw what seemed to be a bright light in the night sky. A few moments later, Jonathan came out, having heard the car, and saw her passed out on the driveway.

Clark was with Lex at the time and they were ... well, let’s just say they were preoccupied, and leave it at that. Anyway, Jonathan took Martha to the hospital and he called Clark and left a message, but of course, Clark didn’t get the message until later. He and Lex rushed to Smallville Medical Centre and they found Martha had been admitted. She was just kept overnight for observation but she told Clark what she’d seen once the doctors were out of hearing.

Jonathan thought she might have been seeing things, but given what’s been happening lately, I very much doubt it.

I know, I’m kind of rambling but it’s sort of a long story. Lex wondered if Fine had done something. But I guess Clark still wanted to believe the best about his not-professor and he went to talk to him. And get this – Fine started to blame things on Jor-El. He was trying, I think, to play on Clark’s own fears about his birth father and making him sound like a dictator, or something.

Now, if there’s anyone who knows more about birth fathers and them turning out not to be what you expect, it’s me. I mean, when I first found out I was adopted, I did have these little fantasies of finding my birth father, or mother, and them being these incredible individuals who had given me up out of love. Well, of course, when I found out about my real parents, those dreams crashed and burned. I mean, Lionel’s all right now, in small doses, anyway. But before I knew who he was, I was always weirded out by him. The events of the spring notwithstanding – there are moments when I wonder if we should be trusting him.

So, Clark took Fine to the fortress, and there, Fine tried to convince Clark to sabotage it, saying his birth father was evil. Knowing what we now know, of course, Clark had started to get a little suspicious with the way Fine constantly ragged on Jor-El. Then he kept telling him about some guy named Zod, supposedly a man of peace. He told Clark to take a crystal and stab it into the console.

Here’s how the rest of it went.

“So, if I jam this thing in there, it will destroy the whole complex?” he asked.

Fine looked like a kid in a toy shop, he seemed so gleeful. And that aroused Clark’s suspicions.

“Do it Kal-El. It’s the only way. If you want to save your mother.”

Clark resented the fact that Fine was playing his own fears for his mother’s life against him. And hadn’t Fine said himself that he thought humans were primitive? There was something else going on here.

Clark decided to play his own card.

“I thought you hated humans? So why are you suddenly so eager to help me save my Mom?”

“Kal-El, we do not have time for twenty questions. Do it now!”

Clark dropped the crystal and backed away. “No, I don’t think so.”

Fine glared at him. “Kal-El, she will die unless you do it.”

“Look, I know Jor-El’s done some things to get me to do what he wants, but he would never ...”

“Jor-El would do anything to bend you to his will.”

Clark shook his head. “No, he chose my parents to raise me. That isn’t the same man you’re telling me is evil.”

“People change, Kal-El.” Fine’s tone was much softer but there was still something ... it was almost like a performance.

Clark remembered some of his training from that summer. And he knew that Jor-El was not as malevolent as Fine claimed. If he had been, wouldn’t Clark have emerged from the training as Kal-El?

“I think you’re a liar,” Clark finally said, turning to face Fine.

“You would let your mother die?” Fine laughed. “You’re not as dumb as you look, Kal-El. Never mind. You have served your purpose.” Fine went to pick up the crystal, but Clark moved to intercept him.

“What are you?” he gasped as Fine tossed him.

“I will free Zod with or without you,” Fine snarled, moving to jam the crystal in the console. But nothing worked.

Clark barrelled into him in a tackle worthy of a linebacker.

“Jor-El had nothing to do with my mom’s infection. You did!”

“Zod will return and he will rid this puny planet of the scourge of humanity.”

“Let my mom go,” Clark yelled, grabbing Fine and pulling him up, tossing him to the furthest end of the complex.

“You’re too late, Kal-El,” Fine laughed evilly. “She’ll be dead within hours and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Release Zod!”

“No!”

“Then die, Kal-El.”

Fine rushed him but Clark was ready for him. He grabbed him and tossed him through the air. Fine’s body hit one of the crystals and was impaled.

It was then that Jor-El finally spoke.

“You have done well, my son. But the danger has not passed.”

So, Jor-El went on to tell him about a dark time in Krypton’s history, when a megalomaniac known as Dru-Zod, tried to take over the planet, killing one of the elders of the council. He started a civil war which raged for years, until he was finally defeated and sentenced to be exiled to the Phantom Zone.

Fine was Brainiac. The Brain Interactive Construct, built by Jor-El and another Kryptonian named Dax-Ur to help them in the war against Zod. But Zod somehow corrupted it.

Lex and I both sat there, stunned, as Clark related the whole story. I'd returned from Gotham, against Bruce's objections, just in time to hear the whole story. I looked at them both.

“So Brainiac’s a machine?”

“Something like that,” Clark said.

“So, surely it would have an off-switch.”

“Brainiac’s gone,” Clark said, while at the same time Lex groaned.

“Callie, how can you be so naive.”

“Brainiac isn’t gone, though, is he?” I said to Clark, while glaring at my brother. “Jor-El said as much. And there has to be some way to deactivate him. Didn’t Jor-El tell you anything?”

“Brainiac is an artificial intelligence,” Lex pointed out. “He would be too smart to let any of us get close enough to do anything, let alone shut him down.”

“Maybe not,” I mused. “Lionel said he was showing an interest in you, and me. Maybe we could use that.”

“No, Callie. It’s too risky,” Clark protested.

“Would you rather he release Zod from this Phantom Zone? Just how was he going to do that, anyway?”

“Jor-El thinks he was trying to use me as a vessel. To bring Zod back.”

“So, my guess is, it’s on to Plan B.”

“And what would that be?”

“Well, it has to be one of us,” I answered Lex. “Doesn’t it?”

“Callie, no!” Both of them spoke at the same time, staring wide-eyed at me.

“Someone has to stop Brainiac, and you know he’ll never let you get near him, Clark.”

“He’ll kill you.”

“Maybe not,” I mused.

“This is insane Callie,” Lex said. “F**king insane!”

Clark gave him a look which suggested he completely agreed.

“Young Callie does have a point.”

We all looked around at Lionel, unaware that he had been standing there, and obviously for some time. He had a smirk on his face that would have been considered his ‘Lionel is up to something nefarious smirk’. He continued speaking.

“In order for you to defeat Brainiac and prevent the return of Zod, you would need to draw him out. Brainiac is capable of destroying the world to get what he wants. Right now, his ultimate goal is freeing Zod from the Phantom Zone. But that could change in the blink of an eye.”

“What are you saying?” I looked at my biological father, wondering where he was going with this.

“Brainiac is only loyal to a point, and only when there is some benefit to him!”

”Is this you, speaking, or Jor-El?” Clark said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the older man.

Clearly, Lex and I were thinking the same thing as he looked at each other, then back at him. Lionel had never been this forthcoming. He’d always kept what he knew close to his chest.

“However,” Lionel continued, as if Clark hadn’t questioned him, “Brainiac’s success would have hinged only on the relationship, or lack thereof between the Luthors and the Kents.”

I suddenly understood. If Lex had never confessed his feelings for Clark, or vice versa, they might have ended up becoming almost enemies, rather than friends, and Brainiac would have been able to use that.

To cut a long story short, Lionel suggested he be the one to draw Brainiac’s interest, by pretending to be what he’d always been. A ruthless businessman, intent on world domination. Well, it wasn’t exactly a stretch for him.

But Lex and I both realise what this means. Lionel is going to sacrifice himself to save the world. We all knew that the battle between Brainiac and Lionel would be brutal. Jor-El might be providing the means with which to destroy the artificial intelligence, but we realised that Lionel would not come back from it.

I still don’t know about him, dear Diary. I want to believe that Jor-El has helped make him a better man, but I still can’t help thinking he has his own agenda. Please, god, let me be wrong!

[gem65]

I still don’t know about him, dear Diary. I want to believe that Jor-El has helped make him a better man, but I still can’t help thinking he has his own agenda. Please, god, let me be wrong!

I kept checking to see if you had updated. Then I got your PM and thought 'Yippee.' I enjoyed it very much. And I love your version of Splinter too. It's one of my favorite episodes.

[phoenixnz]

I kept checking to see if you had updated. Then I got your PM and thought 'Yippee.' I enjoyed it very much. And I love your version of Splinter too. It's one of my favorite episodes.

It was certainly one of the better episodes of season five. I'm rewriting canon a bit, as you can tell.

I plan on updating this again in a couple of days. First up, Saint Clark.

[gem65]

It was certainly one of the better episodes of season five. I'm rewriting canon a bit, as you can tell.

I plan on updating this again in a couple of days. First up, Saint Clark.

I do that too sometimes. But I know you've noticed that too. Remember my take on Reckoning? It is fiction after all. You get to 'correct' the things that need 'correcting'

[phoenixnz]

I do that too sometimes. But I know you've noticed that too. Remember my take on Reckoning? It is fiction after all. You get to 'correct' the things that need 'correcting'

They did leave things in quite a mess. But that's why writers like us exist, so we can fix it.

[phoenixnz]

December 25, 2005

My first Christmas as a Luthor. And Clark’s first as Lex’s partner. Or maybe that should be partner-in-crime, because I swear, the mischief those two have been getting up to. It’s almost like Lex is rediscovering his childhood.

Like the other day. Lex thought it would be a great idea to play a practical joke on Enrique. Clark was hungry (when is he not?), so Lex asked Enrique to bring them some snacks. Clark, using his super speed, sneaks up behind Enrique and takes the food from the tray. Oblivious, Enrique walks into the study with an empty tray and Lex pretends to be mad at him and accuses him of eating the snacks himself.

I caught them at yet another joke. Only this time it was on me. Clark had grabbed a bucket of flour and hoisted it up over the doorway of the study. Such a stupid joke. Of course, when I went into the study, summoned by Lex, I ended up with the whole lot over me.

Lex was sniggering away.

“Oh grow up, Lex,” I growled. Then I turned on Clark. “And you, Clark Kent, should be using your powers for good, not evil.” Clark poked his tongue out at me. “Oh yeah, that’s mature!” The two of them cracked up, leaving me to walk out in a huff.

Still, it is kind of nice to see Lex not so uptight, even if he has reverted to being a teenager.

Anyway, we held a Christmas party for family and friends at the mansion. The one for Luthorcorp employees was held in Metropolis. The Kents came. So did Bruce. Yay! He’s staying a few days, actually.

Bruce doesn’t really like parties much. So it means a lot that he came for this one. For me. I asked him why he doesn’t like parties and he told me about the birthday bash he threw. One that was crashed by one of his enemies, Ra’s Al Ghul. Anyway, Ra’s threatened Bruce’s guests and Bruce had to get rid of them quickly, so he called them all a bunch of freeloaders and told them to get out. He felt bad afterwards, but it was better than them getting hurt.

Chloe and Lois also came. And they had a great time. Well, that was until Lois opened her mouth and insulted one of Jonathan’s new acquaintances. Clark had to drag her away before she embarrassed the entire family. A quick brain, but an even quicker mouth, that one.

We all went to bed fairly late. As Bruce and I went up the stairs to my room, Lex couldn’t resist a parting shot.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Bruce looked at him steadily.

“Lex, there is nothing you wouldn’t do.”

I only just managed to keep a straight face as Bruce pulled me upstairs. The look on Lex’s face was priceless. Score one for Bruce!

Today was great though. We all went to the Kents for Christmas dinner. Even Bruce. We decided to wait for the Christmas gifts until we were at the farmhouse.

Lex, of course, went overboard. He gave Clark a car. Well, a truck really. It’s apparently the truck that he bought when Clark saved his life at Loeb Bridge. That was when Lex hit Clark when he lost control of his Porsche and almost died. If Clark hadn’t given him mouth-to-mouth he wouldn’t be here to tell the tale.

Anyway, Jonathan looked like he’d swallowed a lemon when Clark unwrapped the little box with the truck keys in it. But he couldn’t say anything. After all, Clark is eighteen and he is old enough to make his own decisions.

Lex’s reasoning was that he didn’t want Clark exposing his powers to all (Bruce knows about Clark’s secret) and sundry and a truck was the best option, so Clark could go back and forth to college and the farm etcetera without being noticed.

He gave Martha a diamond pendant. Only a little one, but Martha thought it was too much. Jonathan he gave a gift certificate for a tailor so Jonathan could get suits as befitting his role as a senatorial candidate.

Sigh! Lex will never learn.

Anyway, he told me he’d planned on getting me a car too, but he knew I’d kill him if he did that. Besides, I like my little Spider. I bought the classic car four months ago, feeling the need to splurge a little after getting the all clear from the docs.

Instead, Lex gave me a gold locket and I think I’ll be asking Lionel if he still has any baby pictures of Lex, haha.

My gifts kind of paled in comparison. Martha, I gave a silk scarf. Not hugely expensive, but a designer scarf just the same. It’s the same colour as her eyes and goes really well with her colouring. She loved it. Jonathan liked his gift too. I found this book chronicling some of the greatest events of the last one hundred years, and another book of photographs from scenes around New Zealand. He loves my stories about the country I grew up in.

One day I’m going to surprise Jonathan and Martha with a vacation in New Zealand. That’s if they’ll accept it!

Clark gave both his mom and me gift certificates for beauty treatment. Not, he said, that we needed it. He’ll go far that boy. And the Kents gave me a gift basket with goodies like chocolate and little perfume samplers and bubble bath. Oh, how I love a good bubble bath.

“I love it,” I said, hugging Martha.

“I know it’s not much sweetie,” she said.

“Are you kidding? I just love laying for hours in a bubble bath.”

“As opposed to the hours you spend in the shower?” Lex said. “I’m just glad I can afford the water bill.”

“You be quiet!”

“Make me short stuff!”

Not the short jokes again.

“Child!” I retorted.

“Midget!”

“Grow up!”

“You first!”

We just cracked up when we saw the others’ faces. I swear, Martha was looking as if she wanted to knock both of our heads together. I love acting like a goofball with Lex sometimes. It’s so nice to be able to share that with him. And he can be a real goofball when he wants to be. I’m glad he and Clark finally got together. They’re so good for each other. Lex is a calming influence on Clark and Clark, well, he helps Lex not be so uptight. I think it’s a good deal.

I love my brother, even if he does drive me mental at times!

Bruce and I sat together at the table for dinner and we stuffed ourselves silly. He whispered in my ear that he had another gift for me. He’d already given me a diamond encrusted watch. But the way he looked at me, I had so many dirty thoughts going through my head. Bruce is evil!

While Martha was up getting dessert, which included the pavlova I had made, Bruce took my hand under the table and pulled it over to his crotch. And he was ... hmm, maybe I shouldn’t go there. I could have throttled him though, for doing that while in the Kent’s house. He is a bad, bad man!

Lex, of course, smirked at me, seeing my face. He knew exactly what Bruce was doing. So how come it was me he kicked under the table? As if I need lessons on how to behave in company. Like he and Clark haven’t made out in the barn as soon as Clark’s parents backs were turned.

Of course, I blushed like a beet. Bruce laughs at me when I blush. He says, jokingly of course, that I’m a prude. Hey, just because I was taught good manners, it doesn’t make me a prude! Anyway, I usually get him back by showing him how much I am definitely not a prude. I must be the only woman who can get Bruce really hot and bothered at that point.

So, there I was, sitting there with Bruce’s hand over mine, pushing it down on his hard ... er, yeah, that. And I turned to him and said, ever so sweetly, while slipping my hand out of his grip: “Bruce, honey, I love you, but don’t ever come between me and my pavlova.”

Bruce seemed to pout. “You’re throwing me over for dessert?”

“Well, who wouldn’t,” Lex commented. “Especially hers.”

Clark turned to Lex then. “Would you say you love her dessert more than me?”

“Not on your life,” Lex grinned. “Although it’s a close one between you and your mother’s apple pie.”

It was Clark’s turn to pout. Jonathan just had the ‘too much information’ expression. Martha came back out and broke the silence that followed.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Lex Luthor.”

I noticed though, that she gave him the biggest slice of pie. Of course, then Clark stole most of it.

When we got back home, we were practically rolling ourselves through the door. We were full, but pleasantly so. It was such a great day.

Of course, then Bruce swept me upstairs and gave me the promised ‘gift’. But I think I wore him out, poor baby. He’s snoring next to me while I write this. But don’t tell him I said he snores. He’ll deny it.

[gem65]

Of course, then Bruce swept me upstairs and gave me the promised ‘gift’. But I think I wore him out, poor baby. He’s snoring next to me while I write this. But don’t tell him I said he snores. He’ll deny it.

I enjoyed that update. It was a lot of fun reading about Lex and Clark having fun with each other. And with her too. It's also funny to read about Bruce snoring. Imagine Batman snoring. That is funny.

[BabyDee]

What a lovely Christmas they all had. YAY, pie!

Sweet update, Leanne!

[phoenixnz]

January 31, 2006

Oh wow, has it been a really busy month. The biggest thing is Jonathan, or I should say, Senator Kent. OMG he won the election! Of course, with Lex to back him up, financially anyway, and the positive image he has, he couldn’t lose. I mean, I don’t really like saying anything bad about anybody, but his opponent was a dick! He kept going on and on about how he was going to do the best for big business. I mean, hello, grow a brain? You’re talking to rural Kansas, dick!

Bruce hates it when I use that term. But it’s true. The guy was a ... (sigh). Okay, okay. Sorry, he’s just been nudging me, telling me to behave myself. He is soo going to get it later for that one. Not to mention the fact that he’s been reading over my shoulder. Now, where was I before he so rudely interrupted me?

Oh yeah, so anyway, Jonathan won the election and we’re all really happy for him. Even Lex. And not just because Jonathan is sort of his father-in-law. Truth be told, there are times when Lex is a little nervous of Jonathan, especially when he starts talking about his father’s old shotgun. Clark, of course, gives him a look and a grin as if to say he’s kidding. But Lex doesn’t dare push the whole gay rights thing, even though I know he wants to. As far as he’s concerned, he and Clark are in a committed relationship and he’d like the law to recognise that.

Oh, something really creepy happened. There was this group on the campus of Central A&M and they were doing everything possible to get people to vote for the other guy. The girl there, I forget her name, was a real fanatic. She even Single White Femaled the guy they were supporting. Shudder! Bruce says there’s always one in every crowd, but when I think about what nearly happened.

She apparently kidnapped Lois, who was Jonathan’s press secretary – well sort of – and tried to get Lois to shoot Jonathan. Thank goodness for Clark and his abilities. Jonathan would have been dead if it had succeeded. Oh, not that Lois actually did it. No, she’s a lot tougher than she looks. And she really does care about the Kents. I have to admit, I had her pegged a little wrong. Mind you, she did too. Anyway, we were chatting after the election party at the Talon and while we’ll never be friends, we sort of came to an understanding.

Lois kind of confessed to me that when she first started getting to know me, she saw a lot of similarities between me and Lex. Just in our mannerisms and stuff. You know, that girl is incredibly sharp! Just has a thing about authority, I think. Doesn’t like being made to conform. I guess that’s her rebelling against her upbringing. Yet, it’s also made her restless too. Like she doesn’t like sticking to one thing for very long. I guess she just hasn’t found her niche yet.

The thing with Brainiac is going well, I think. Lionel has been doing exactly what he said he would do. Which is pretend to be the ruthless businessman that he always has been. And it is attracting attention. He told us he was going to put his money behind Jonathan’s opponent, just so it could look like there was still rivalry between father and son. He reckons he always knew that Jonathan would win anyway, and it wasn’t a huge loss. Methinks he had some bookies on speed dial, haha.

Bruce is bored with waiting for me to stop writing. His hand is creeping up my thigh and ... haha, he says he can’t believe I just wrote that. Okay, I’m going to stop now. Back later. Much later.

(One hour later) No comment!

Shelby has come to live at the mansion. Well, with Jonathan now going back and forth between Topeka and Smallville, it was going to be kind of hard to look after the dog. I used to love Shelby, I really did. Until he chewed my shoes. Maybe I’m not a shoe freak like whatshername on that old show. I mean, I don’t even know how to spell Manolo Blahniks let alone understand what it is about them that makes them so sought after. Hell, I don’t know one designer from another. But I still don’t like my shoes being used as a dog’s chew toy.

Lex thinks it’s funny. He wouldn’t think it was so funny if Shelby chewed his shoes! Grr! Like the other day, I came home from a business meeting in Metropolis to find Shelby in the hallway outside my room, chewing on, yep, you guessed it, one of my shoes.

“Argh! Damn dog!”

Shelby looked at me as I bent down to try to take the shoe off him and growled. Growled!

“Lex Luthor, you better get up here or I swear ...”

Running footsteps, then Lex appeared at the top of the stairs grinning like a loon. He bent down to Shelby’s level.

“Aww, Shelby, did you steal Callie’s shoe, you’re such a bad dog. Yes you are.” It would have come off a lot more like a rebuke if he hadn’t been scratching Shelby’s ears and talking in that idiotic tone.

“I hate you,” I said, although at that point I wasn’t sure which one I hated more, the dog or my idiot brother fussing over the dog.

Clark picked that moment to return from school.

“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked.

Lex stood up and grinned at him. “Shelby’s in trouble with Callie. Again.”

“This is so not funny,” I hissed at him.

“Well, maybe you should close your door,” he grinned at me.

“I did close my door. I swear that dog must have super powers or something. How else could he have got in?”

“Uh,” Clark said, blushing beet red.

He started to explain about the experiments done by Luthorcorp. Of course, that had been in the Lionel is a badass phase. But I was still upset about my shoe and I snapped at him. A lot harsher than I meant.

“Never mind. I really don’t want to know.”

“Callie, I’ll buy you a new pair of shoes,” Lex said.

He just didn’t get it. It wasn’t about the shoes. Well, it was. Kind of.

“You can’t replace these,” I said in a whisper. I knew it was showing on my face, but I just couldn’t look at them at that moment. Otherwise I would have started crying.

You see, these weren’t just any shoes. My mom and I had gone shopping together, a week before she and my Dad were killed. And we had seen these shoes in the store. They were nothing fancy – just your average, every day, trainers. And they were pretty grubby by now. But my mom had bought them for me and they were the last gift she ever gave me and I wore them practically every day – so much that they were worn out. It’s a weird kind of thing, but they were special to me.

I just walked away from them, not wanting them to see that I was crying. I knew Lex was looking at me as if I was the one from another planet. I couldn’t tell them. I know Shelby was just being a dog and Lex didn’t see anything wrong with him chewing on a pair of old sneakers, but he didn’t know, because I had never told him.

I wandered down to the conservatory and that was where Lionel found me. Sniffling.

“Callie?”

I looked up, then looked away. He sat down beside me.

“Look, I may not be the world’s greatest father ...” And boy, was that an understatement. “But I can listen. If you want to talk.”

I studied him for what seemed like an eternity. Then it all came out. About the shopping trip, the shoes. Shelby.

“Well, I’ve never really been fond of animals,” Lionel said with a small smile, which I suppose he thought would be comforting, “but it isn’t the dog’s fault. It’s not like he can understand.”

I shook my head. He was right. I was blaming Shelby for being, well, a dog. But it still hurt that Lex could be so ...

“Talk to Lex. He’ll understand. He is your brother, after all.”

I looked at him and it seemed he might have a deeper understanding about it than I thought. Especially after he told me about Lillian.

“Lex has a watch. Given to him by his mother. It is very special to him.”

The watch has a Napoleon Franc in it. I understood the reference. When Napoleon was crowned Emperor, his mother couldn’t be there. So Napoleon commissioned a painting of the coronation. And he had his mother painted in.

Lionel sighed. “Lillian once gave me a tie. It was a hideous mustard yellow thing. She used to tell me she wanted me to have a little more colour in my life. I never wore it. She used to ask me why I didn’t wear it, so I did once, to please her. And it was worse than I feared. But it made her happy. When she got sick, I would wear it more. Then she was gone and I put it in the back of the drawer and forgot about it. But it stayed there until one day I was searching through the drawer for something and I found it. Lex doesn’t know about this, but I stood there holding that tie in my hands, and I broke down and cried. I loved my wife, Callie. I may have been a bastard to her at times, and to Lex, but I did love her.” He got up and put a hand on my shoulder. “But try and remember, it’s not the shoe. It’s the memory it represents that is special to you.”

Wow! That’s all I can say about that.

[gem65]

Loved it, Loved it, Loved it. Really. I love the way you're writing Lionel. Especially when he talks about memories and admitting to being a bastard to his wife. Excellent writing as usual. *big grin*

[phoenixnz]

Loved it, Loved it, Loved it. Really. I love the way you're writing Lionel. Especially when he talks about memories and admitting to being a bastard to his wife. Excellent writing as usual. *big grin*

Yeah, it's a different take on Lionel and there are always surprises when it comes to the MB. Glad you like the chapter hon.