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Title: Vindicated
Author: Angie
Pairing: Lex and Lana
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! I borrowed the song title, ‘Vindicated’ for my title but I don’t own it.
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Summary: Lana, Lucas, and the gang are in college at MetU. Lex runs into Lana when picking up Lucas from the campus...but Lana's changed!
A/N: This was originally a challenge response, but I'm posting it here in case others would like to read it.
A/N to Mods: If I need to add something or take something away from my heading per rules, please let me know!
Chapter One – A Thief
Lana sat in the MetU library on a Saturday morning. Opening her pull-along bag, Lana took out her Criminal Justice book and her binder and five-subject notebook. Outside college guys were tossing footballs at each other, some were jogging in athletic outfits, while others were walking along the sidewalk with white phone pieces in their ears. Lana was in here, working on two big assignments that she refused to put off. She had a 30- page chapter to read in her Criminal Behavior book for Monday, which would be followed by a quiz that would be taken when she got into class. Along with that, she had a 15-page term paper to write on the BTK Strangler, due next Friday that she needed to get some more research on to finish writing her final rough draft. A sophomore in Criminal Justice, Lana took her choice to become a protector of innocent people very seriously. Her roommates didn’t agree with Lana’s need to be studious and in the library all the time, but at least she felt she was pursuing a career that would make her feel she was helping people. She’d come to MetU wanting to go into this field and from the time of student orientation she had been dedicated and excited to learn. A year and two months later, Lana sat with her book wide open, her black binder at her right, and her heart lifted as she read her chapter…
On the flipside of this enthusiasm, Lex Luthor was frustrated. Two months before, when Lana was starting her sophomore year, Lucas, Lex’s younger brother had come back home to live and go to school. Over the summer, Lucas had become a major partier. He got busted for DWI quite a lot, but the last time, he got busted was with his roommate who unfortunately lost his license along with Lucas and both had to serve 30 days in jail. Ticked at having his license revoked and having to serve time, he kicked Lucas out. So, poor Lucas came back home, and Lex was unable to say get out. Unfortunately, he was his brother and if Lex had said leave he would never have been able to live with himself. The end result was that Lex was now and had been Lucas’s chauffeur. He took him to school and back home again, five days a week. Today he was there to meet with his teacher over a bad grade. The teacher set up a Saturday to go over Lucas’s class work and participation. Lex figured that since it was a Saturday, his brother was probably getting yelled at for not participating in class and that was plain stupid since Lucas was there every day for class. Lex figured Lucas just wasn’t putting forth enough effort – he himself had had classes in his tutoring that were bad enough he didn’t want to put forth an eighth of effort, but he still wound up doing the work. Checking his watch in his den, Lex saw it was time to go pick him up so he grabbed his keys and took off to the campus…
Parking and walking to the doors of the building, Lex saw that his brother was still inside the classroom with Mrs. Thompson, so he decided to stop at the library. He needed to do some research for the company. Why not take a trip there while Lucas was with his English teacher?
Lana had been working on her term paper when Lex walked into the library. She hadn’t paid any attention to him being there. She was focused on putting her paperwork in order so she could know what to write first. Next, she was going to go and get on a computer to see what else she could get about the case. There were usually some good sites online if one researched long enough. Lana could spend hours clicking on pages to get what she was after. She’d stayed up late many, many times doing this for assignments and for personal knowledge.
Stapling her paperwork together with her little purple stapler, Lana put it in her binder and grabbing her purse and things she walked toward a computer. Finding one, she sat and clicked on the Mozilla Firefox icon. She was on her way to finding her sources!
Lex walked in the library, searching himself for a computer. Unfortunately a brunette woman took the last one. He walked around looking to see if anyone was gathering their things or getting ready to so he could use the computer next. The closer he got he realized that the brunette was a woman he knew. Walking behind her he saw her document on the screen and said with curiosity, “Characteristics of the BTK Strangler?”
Lana glanced upward and said, “Hello Lex.”
Lex said, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your work, Lana. I just happened to realize that I recognized you. How are you classes going?”
Lana had a deadline and didn’t want to stop gathering information just because Lex Luthor was here in the library. She said plainly, “They are fine. I have a term paper to write though that is due in less than a week. Whatever you want here, I’m afraid you’re going to have to find on your own.”
Lex crossed his arms and said with a smile, “But I’d rather get it from you.”
Lana glared up at Lex and said, “Get what from me? My computer? That’s not going to happen, Lex. I just told you I have a term paper to write that’s due Friday. I am going to be at it for several hours. Find another.”
Lex picked up the silver cap to Lana’s jump drive and handing it to her he said with a confidently sexy smile, “I have to pick up my brother, but I’ll see you later. Maybe I can have your computer then.”
Looking up at him, Lana said flatly, “You think you’re so cocky and sexy that I’ll just hand it over and not worry about my paper I have to write but you’re wrong. It’s not going to happen Lex. You’re wasting your time.”
Lex laughed and left the room. Lana muttered a foul retort and spitting mad, she surfed the net for a few minutes to calm down before getting back to work. He might be sexier than Clark with his smile, his blue eyes, and his broad shoulders, but the fact was he was nothing more than a stumbling block from her finishing what she had to do. Stumbling blocks stopped progress and Lana had things to do dang it! So getting back in the process of looking up her work, Lana forced Lex’s attitude out of her head, took a deeper breath and got back to work.
Lex picked up Lucas and asked what was going on. Lucas refused to tell him why he had to see his teacher on Saturday, so Lex figured it was what he thought. He said, “Why can’t you just do what the teacher asks you to do and prevent me from having to come in here on a weekend?”
Lucas flared, “Can you possibly be anymore selfish? I don’t have a license and I need somebody to take me to class – and you offered, Lex, so stop acting like I’m inconveniencing you all the time. If you don’t want to take me to class, I’ll find someone else to do it.”
Lex said, “Like who? Your roommates already booted your ass out the door, so I don’t think they will come back and give you another ride. Except perhaps to kick your butt for putting them in jail, maybe."
Lucas turned to Lex as they walked out the door and said, “Doug didn’t have to come with me to the party, he chose to. But he drank along with everyone else. I shouldn’t have been driving.”
Lex spat, “You think?”
Lucas rolled his eyes and said, “It’s over, Lex! I can’t do a thing about it. I’m home and I’m going to school. But if you don’t want to take me, I’ll start paying for a cab.”
Lex let out a humungously deep breath and said, “No…Lucas I’ll take you. I just get aggravated especially when you won’t tell me what’s going on. Your secrets are as bad as dad’s are.”
Lucas smiled darkly and said, “Then I guess I get it honestly.”
Lex looked at Lucas and said, “I need to look up something in the library here. You might want to take advantage of it and do some studying as well.”
Rolling his own eyes, Lucas said, “Well then let’s go.”
Lex and Lucas walked into the library. Lucas took off for the magazine rack and Lex walked over to the computers.
Lana was engrossed yet again in her reading on the computer when Lex walked up behind her. He said, “You know too much time reading on the computer can cause eye strain right? Not to mention migraines – I speak from experience.”
Lana turned in her swivel chair and said, “Sorry you’ve had migraines, Lex, but I don’t have one. If I get one before the night is over, I can always taken some Ibuprofens. I carry them in my purse.”
Lex grabbed another chair and sat next to Lana saying, “Well the fact is, I do need a computer.”
Lana glanced around the room and saw one available. She said, “There’s one right over there.”
Lex looked and saw it. He walked his things over and dropped them next to it. Coming back he said, “Now that I’ve saved my spot, I can come back and hang out with you.”
Lana was thoroughly peeved and said frankly, “Antagonizing me isn’t hanging out and I don’t have time to play these stupid games. Go bug Lucas.”
Lex grinned and said, “Why do you call hanging out a stupid game? I think it’s a very nice thing to be doing.”
Lana said, “You aren’t nice! You’re an aggravating bastard!”
Lex took Lana’s hand and walked to her saying, “Maybe, but I’m pretty sure you like me being aggravating.”
Lana said, “How do you figure?”
Lex said, “Because I get to be spontaneous and do stuff like this…” Lowering his mouth, Lex kissed Lana.
Lana almost kissed him back and knowing that, she pulled away from him and slapped him saying, “Take my damn computer! I’m going home.”
Lex watched her save her documents shakily. He said, “Lana…Lana I don’t need your computer.”
Lana looked up and said, “No, you probably don’t, but the fact is I can’t stay here and get anything done…aside from being mad.”
Lex saw her grab her things and looking at her he said, “I’m not a bastard, Lana. I just wanted to…”
Lana said, “To fluster and irritate me, well you’ve done it. Have fun, Lex, the place is yours…”
Lana left the lab fuming and confused.
Lex however stood there feeling like a thief of Lana’s time and a manipulator of her feelings. It didn’t feel good. In fact it felt lousy as hell…
TBC…
Author: Angie
Pairing: Lex and Lana
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! I borrowed the song title, ‘Vindicated’ for my title but I don’t own it.
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Summary: Lana, Lucas, and the gang are in college at MetU. Lex runs into Lana when picking up Lucas from the campus...but Lana's changed!
A/N: This was originally a challenge response, but I'm posting it here in case others would like to read it.
A/N to Mods: If I need to add something or take something away from my heading per rules, please let me know!
Chapter One – A Thief
Lana sat in the MetU library on a Saturday morning. Opening her pull-along bag, Lana took out her Criminal Justice book and her binder and five-subject notebook. Outside college guys were tossing footballs at each other, some were jogging in athletic outfits, while others were walking along the sidewalk with white phone pieces in their ears. Lana was in here, working on two big assignments that she refused to put off. She had a 30- page chapter to read in her Criminal Behavior book for Monday, which would be followed by a quiz that would be taken when she got into class. Along with that, she had a 15-page term paper to write on the BTK Strangler, due next Friday that she needed to get some more research on to finish writing her final rough draft. A sophomore in Criminal Justice, Lana took her choice to become a protector of innocent people very seriously. Her roommates didn’t agree with Lana’s need to be studious and in the library all the time, but at least she felt she was pursuing a career that would make her feel she was helping people. She’d come to MetU wanting to go into this field and from the time of student orientation she had been dedicated and excited to learn. A year and two months later, Lana sat with her book wide open, her black binder at her right, and her heart lifted as she read her chapter…
On the flipside of this enthusiasm, Lex Luthor was frustrated. Two months before, when Lana was starting her sophomore year, Lucas, Lex’s younger brother had come back home to live and go to school. Over the summer, Lucas had become a major partier. He got busted for DWI quite a lot, but the last time, he got busted was with his roommate who unfortunately lost his license along with Lucas and both had to serve 30 days in jail. Ticked at having his license revoked and having to serve time, he kicked Lucas out. So, poor Lucas came back home, and Lex was unable to say get out. Unfortunately, he was his brother and if Lex had said leave he would never have been able to live with himself. The end result was that Lex was now and had been Lucas’s chauffeur. He took him to school and back home again, five days a week. Today he was there to meet with his teacher over a bad grade. The teacher set up a Saturday to go over Lucas’s class work and participation. Lex figured that since it was a Saturday, his brother was probably getting yelled at for not participating in class and that was plain stupid since Lucas was there every day for class. Lex figured Lucas just wasn’t putting forth enough effort – he himself had had classes in his tutoring that were bad enough he didn’t want to put forth an eighth of effort, but he still wound up doing the work. Checking his watch in his den, Lex saw it was time to go pick him up so he grabbed his keys and took off to the campus…
Parking and walking to the doors of the building, Lex saw that his brother was still inside the classroom with Mrs. Thompson, so he decided to stop at the library. He needed to do some research for the company. Why not take a trip there while Lucas was with his English teacher?
Lana had been working on her term paper when Lex walked into the library. She hadn’t paid any attention to him being there. She was focused on putting her paperwork in order so she could know what to write first. Next, she was going to go and get on a computer to see what else she could get about the case. There were usually some good sites online if one researched long enough. Lana could spend hours clicking on pages to get what she was after. She’d stayed up late many, many times doing this for assignments and for personal knowledge.
Stapling her paperwork together with her little purple stapler, Lana put it in her binder and grabbing her purse and things she walked toward a computer. Finding one, she sat and clicked on the Mozilla Firefox icon. She was on her way to finding her sources!
Lex walked in the library, searching himself for a computer. Unfortunately a brunette woman took the last one. He walked around looking to see if anyone was gathering their things or getting ready to so he could use the computer next. The closer he got he realized that the brunette was a woman he knew. Walking behind her he saw her document on the screen and said with curiosity, “Characteristics of the BTK Strangler?”
Lana glanced upward and said, “Hello Lex.”
Lex said, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your work, Lana. I just happened to realize that I recognized you. How are you classes going?”
Lana had a deadline and didn’t want to stop gathering information just because Lex Luthor was here in the library. She said plainly, “They are fine. I have a term paper to write though that is due in less than a week. Whatever you want here, I’m afraid you’re going to have to find on your own.”
Lex crossed his arms and said with a smile, “But I’d rather get it from you.”
Lana glared up at Lex and said, “Get what from me? My computer? That’s not going to happen, Lex. I just told you I have a term paper to write that’s due Friday. I am going to be at it for several hours. Find another.”
Lex picked up the silver cap to Lana’s jump drive and handing it to her he said with a confidently sexy smile, “I have to pick up my brother, but I’ll see you later. Maybe I can have your computer then.”
Looking up at him, Lana said flatly, “You think you’re so cocky and sexy that I’ll just hand it over and not worry about my paper I have to write but you’re wrong. It’s not going to happen Lex. You’re wasting your time.”
Lex laughed and left the room. Lana muttered a foul retort and spitting mad, she surfed the net for a few minutes to calm down before getting back to work. He might be sexier than Clark with his smile, his blue eyes, and his broad shoulders, but the fact was he was nothing more than a stumbling block from her finishing what she had to do. Stumbling blocks stopped progress and Lana had things to do dang it! So getting back in the process of looking up her work, Lana forced Lex’s attitude out of her head, took a deeper breath and got back to work.
Lex picked up Lucas and asked what was going on. Lucas refused to tell him why he had to see his teacher on Saturday, so Lex figured it was what he thought. He said, “Why can’t you just do what the teacher asks you to do and prevent me from having to come in here on a weekend?”
Lucas flared, “Can you possibly be anymore selfish? I don’t have a license and I need somebody to take me to class – and you offered, Lex, so stop acting like I’m inconveniencing you all the time. If you don’t want to take me to class, I’ll find someone else to do it.”
Lex said, “Like who? Your roommates already booted your ass out the door, so I don’t think they will come back and give you another ride. Except perhaps to kick your butt for putting them in jail, maybe."
Lucas turned to Lex as they walked out the door and said, “Doug didn’t have to come with me to the party, he chose to. But he drank along with everyone else. I shouldn’t have been driving.”
Lex spat, “You think?”
Lucas rolled his eyes and said, “It’s over, Lex! I can’t do a thing about it. I’m home and I’m going to school. But if you don’t want to take me, I’ll start paying for a cab.”
Lex let out a humungously deep breath and said, “No…Lucas I’ll take you. I just get aggravated especially when you won’t tell me what’s going on. Your secrets are as bad as dad’s are.”
Lucas smiled darkly and said, “Then I guess I get it honestly.”
Lex looked at Lucas and said, “I need to look up something in the library here. You might want to take advantage of it and do some studying as well.”
Rolling his own eyes, Lucas said, “Well then let’s go.”
Lex and Lucas walked into the library. Lucas took off for the magazine rack and Lex walked over to the computers.
Lana was engrossed yet again in her reading on the computer when Lex walked up behind her. He said, “You know too much time reading on the computer can cause eye strain right? Not to mention migraines – I speak from experience.”
Lana turned in her swivel chair and said, “Sorry you’ve had migraines, Lex, but I don’t have one. If I get one before the night is over, I can always taken some Ibuprofens. I carry them in my purse.”
Lex grabbed another chair and sat next to Lana saying, “Well the fact is, I do need a computer.”
Lana glanced around the room and saw one available. She said, “There’s one right over there.”
Lex looked and saw it. He walked his things over and dropped them next to it. Coming back he said, “Now that I’ve saved my spot, I can come back and hang out with you.”
Lana was thoroughly peeved and said frankly, “Antagonizing me isn’t hanging out and I don’t have time to play these stupid games. Go bug Lucas.”
Lex grinned and said, “Why do you call hanging out a stupid game? I think it’s a very nice thing to be doing.”
Lana said, “You aren’t nice! You’re an aggravating bastard!”
Lex took Lana’s hand and walked to her saying, “Maybe, but I’m pretty sure you like me being aggravating.”
Lana said, “How do you figure?”
Lex said, “Because I get to be spontaneous and do stuff like this…” Lowering his mouth, Lex kissed Lana.
Lana almost kissed him back and knowing that, she pulled away from him and slapped him saying, “Take my damn computer! I’m going home.”
Lex watched her save her documents shakily. He said, “Lana…Lana I don’t need your computer.”
Lana looked up and said, “No, you probably don’t, but the fact is I can’t stay here and get anything done…aside from being mad.”
Lex saw her grab her things and looking at her he said, “I’m not a bastard, Lana. I just wanted to…”
Lana said, “To fluster and irritate me, well you’ve done it. Have fun, Lex, the place is yours…”
Lana left the lab fuming and confused.
Lex however stood there feeling like a thief of Lana’s time and a manipulator of her feelings. It didn’t feel good. In fact it felt lousy as hell…
TBC…
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