Carol

[nonotthatone]

Pairing: Clex
Genre: Drama, Romance, AU/Holiday fic
Rating: PG
Word Count: 8,981
Summary: After an argument with Clark on Christmas Eve, Lex is visited by a series of spirits who show him what he has to lose. With great apologies to Charles Dickens.
A/N: This is set in a somewhat AU S4, I think. I've fudged the series timeline in places to

Comments

[twinsarein]

"I don't know how you can call this a friendship," Lex snarled, "when all you ever do is tell me lies."

"You're one to talk!" Clark retorted angrily. "We both know you haven't stopped investigating me. Don't even bother to deny it."

"You don't leave me any choice! You never give me an honest answer."

"And you never learn that some questions aren't yours to ask." I wish these were things they'd both said on the show. I actually had a similar conversation planned in my clexmas fic, so I hope I don't wind up copying this unconsciously. It's wonderfully phrased.

Beware of becoming your father? Don't worry; the thought never leaves my mind."

"If that's true," she said sadly, "then why doesn't it influence your actions?" Another truism! This is something I often wondered myself. He always said it, but he didn't do much to avoid it - not really anyway

[nonotthatone]

I wish these were things they'd both said on the show.

It's funny you should say this, because this all started with me thinking how much I hated the ep Lexmas and thinking about what I would have done differently with it.

It always amazes me the way you hone in on pieces that meant a lot to me in writing. The Christmas Present section and Chloe were probably my favorite parts to write. I find her very insightful and therefore very useful - if there are things I personally want to say to Lex, I usually give them to her to say :)

I didn't do a full reread of the Dickens in prep for this - I would have liked to, just no time - but Scrooge arriving at the Cratchitt's in his PJ's is definitely in some iteration or another. So I can't take credit, except for thinking to borrow it :)

I'm so glad you enjoyed this. While I always value feedback, I hope you know I respect your opinion very much and so it means a lot to get such a comment from you.

I'm beginning to think you're a liar about disliking Christmas.I may be a liar :) It

[bradygirl_12]

Wow, just...wow.

A great re-telling of A Christmas Carol, m'dear! :)

Clever use of SV characters and situations, and of course a happy ending! This is one of my favorite holiday fics I've read this year. :)

[nonotthatone]

:) Thank you so much. I really enjoy adaptation and this sort of came to me in a moment of inspiration - there are still places where I can't even believe I wrote it, I feel more as if I channeled it.

That is an unbelievable compliment and I am so humbled :) Thanks.

[bradygirl_12]

I have to echo some others here and say that Chloe was an inspired choice to play Christmas Present with her lust for life and the details like her earrings and the holly in her hair were really good. Before Chloe was possessed by Brainiac, she was hope and fire and joy. :)

I also like the way she was the one to warn Clark and Lex that the others were coming. Always looking out for her friends, Clark especially! :)

[nonotthatone]

Those were such fun details for me too; I'm glad they rang a bell with you. Chloe is my other favorite character and I love to use her :)

[eternal_moonie]

AWESOME story!!

[nonotthatone]

:D thanks.

[jlvsclrk]

Wow. Just wow.

I knew about 4 paragraphs in that I was going to love this story. Something about the WAY Clark and Lex were arguing, where both sides have a balanced POV so the viewer can understand how hard it is for each of them to change their position. And that creates the tension that drives the story forward.

Love that Lana is the ghost of Christmas Past. Who else given her obsession with the past and dead parents. I was really moved though when she explained why she didn't want to talk to Santa. Poor thing! And how adorable that young Lana's first crush was on Lex even if she can't remember it.

Chloe makes a great ghost of Christmas Present. I love this exchange:

"So I suppose it's meant as a dire warning? Beware of becoming your father? Don't worry; the thought never leaves my mind."

"If that's true," she said sadly, "then why doesn't it influence your actions?"She really hit the nail on the head with that. It's the thing that drives me CRAZY about Lex - that he genuinely cannot see where his actions are leading

[nonotthatone]

I could do a dance of joy over this comment, srsly :) Thank you so much

[christina_kat]

That would be an awesome AU episode on Smallville. I would really enjoy watching it. I love your christmas stories. They're all so bittersweet and their ending is always beautiful and happy. I love that Clark and Lex ends up together in this one. *sighs*

[nonotthatone]

I was thinking as I wrote this that it could almost be an episode. The breaks in the actions could be commercials :) Anything to replace Lexmas, ugh.

When I'm in a happy mood, they will always end up together! It's the other times you have to watch out for me :)