Fighting Echoes (20/23)
Author: 
serafina19
Title: Fighting Echoes
Summary: As identities and affiliations are exposed, the Justice League begins to form. But once an old foe re-emerges and raises the stakes, Evie is forced to determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect everyone she cares about. Sequel to “Notbroken,” and the final multi-chapter in the "Calendar Girl" verse.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Coarse language, violence and adult content.
Special thanks to:
552158 for the amazing banners that I couldn’t stop admiring when you sent them to me. Also, big love to
slytherinpunk, without you, I probably wouldn’t have the guts to try this.
August p.1 August p.2 September p.1 September p.2 October p.1 October p.2 October p.3 November p.1 November p.2 December p.1 December p.2 January p.1 January p.2 February p.1 February p.2 March April May June p.1
June 10
Her body mostly healed up, Evie went into the elevator at Watchtower, knowing one particular patient was still recovering. As all the body scans activated, Evie took a deep breath before it started to ascend. She had avoided elevators because they only reminded her of her encounter with Lex, and while Evie didn’t mind taking the stairs at home, it was a little excessive for her recovery to get up to Watchtower. that way So Evie sucked it up and let herself get used to this kind of space again, knowing her experience was far from the norm.
Sure enough, Watchtower greeted her as usual when she opened the double doors, daylight streaming through the windows, lighting up the room. Turning her head, Evie noticed Emil packing up his things. Smiling at her, he said, “Good to see you walking around.”
“It’s good being able to walk normally again,” Evie replied. For the past week, she could manage walking for a short period of time, but eventually the pain would be too much. And the sad part was that she had it easy. “How is he?”
Emil glanced upstairs, knowing the recovery hadn’t been easy, but Scott put on a brave face, which made his job easier. “His face is cleaning up well, but his ribs are another story... at least a couple more weeks of recovery left.”
Putting down her carrying case, Evie pulled out the containers of food she had prepared over the past couple of days. It wasn’t much, but considering what she couldn’t do, cooking was something she could. She was even able to teach Lois a couple recipes.
But like her friends, Evie discovered that sitting back wasn’t a strength of hers. Even if she was walking away, not helping more through this aftermath was tougher than she thought. “Emil... thank you for everything.”
Turning around in the doorway, Emil smiled at his old friend. “I’m glad to help out. However, I’m needed at Met Gen, do you mind?”
“No, I’ll be here for a bit.”
After the doors closed, Evie heated up the soup, figuring that simple was best at this time. Hearing the silence around her, it didn't take long for Evie to understand why Lois wanted her out of Watchtower for her recovery; everywhere she looked, there was a bittersweet memory. Not only that, but healing at home also allowed her to forget the extent of her actions, which were coming to the surface now. As she started taking the steps, bowl in hand, Evie remembered the state that Scott was in when she left, so as she neared his room, she felt herself swallowing hard. For even though he had forgiven her, it was hard for Evie to forgive herself.
Scott seemed to sense her pause, as before she entered the doorway, she heard him call out, “Please tell me that soup’s for me.” Evie laughed as she lost her hesitation, realizing the truth in Emil's words as she saw Scott sitting up in bed. She walked over to place the soup on the bedside table, but Scott didn’t take long to pick it back up. “I’ve missed your cooking.”
“I bet.” Evie chuckled again, as she rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. “You were rather lousy in the kitchen.”
It was as good as he remembered, but Scott placed the spoon down soon after his first taste. “But if memory serves, this was something you made when the weather or your mood was less than sunny.” Based on the sunshine coming through the windows at Watchtower and the way Evie’s expression fell, Scott could tell it was the latter. “You know that you can still talk to me right?”
“I know, but the problem is that...” Evie sat down and stared into empty space. “I guess the best way to say this is that I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”
“This has been part of your life so long... hard to let go, I guess.”
Evie shook her head. “You have no idea... or I guess you might.” Looking back at him, Evie quickly remembered the whole reason everything had panned out and the price paid for it. Evie knew that Scott didn’t regret it, but it wasn’t the healthiest thing on anyone’s conscious. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you for that.”
It would have been nice, as the burden was still there to an extent, but Scott had understood Lois’ reasoning and he had been far from alone. “Oliver and Chloe have stopped by a few times and Emil’s been a great help. Even Dinah said ‘hi’ before taking off.” Thinking about the people in Evie’s life and their role as heroes, Scott couldn’t help but ask, “Just how small is the world we live in?”
“I know, right?” Evie smiled once more; glad to hear the humour in Scott’s voice. This gave her hope that maybe they could revive their friendship after all, which was much more than she had anticipated.
~0~
Walking from the elevator, Oliver was surprised to see the Green Arrow room opened up as he closed the gate. “Chloe?” he called, wondering if she was in there.
Sure enough, within a few seconds, Chloe emerged from the room, closing it up while keeping her back to Oliver. As she turned around, she saw Oliver had moved right behind her, causing Chloe to peer up to his concerned eyes.
She knew that she had been quiet lately, but she had been thinking about her ability and just how much it taxed on her body. Before, Chloe had tested it, trying to control it, but now, she could hardly bring herself to do it. Even a papercut on her finger caused her to see Oliver in agony as she lifted her hand over the cut to heal it.
His hands reaching forward to grab hers, Oliver brought them between their bodies, maintaining his stare. He knew all too well what was bothering her and Chloe had been much too proud to admit it outright. But the fact that she had been housebound for the past three days was all the proof he needed.
Between Evie's and Scott’s recovery and working with Victor and Tess on the 33.1 database, there wasn’t time for what she did to sink in. Now things were under control, that was no longer the case. So Oliver took off work early, wanting to be there for her.
Chloe wanted to feel bad that he was leaving work for her, but at the same time, she felt her heart warm as she leaned forward to rest her head against his chest. There were too many circumstances where she was asked to be left alone and people listened to her, but not with Oliver. He knew when he needed to stay with her, even if she told him otherwise. That's why Chloe gave in, because she knew Oliver wouldn't leave without her talking about it. “You were right about the last resort thing. Seeing what it would take to make that difference, it was harder than I thought.”
Oliver squeezed her tighter against him, which was reassuring, but she had to get this out. “But I have to test it, Ollie. I understand your point of view but...” Chloe backed away and looked at him, “this is a fact of my life now and I can’t ignore it anymore.”
It wasn’t necessarily what Oliver wanted to hear, but he knew that Chloe had been doing a lot of thinking about this and she had listened to him last time, so it was his turn. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Chloe repeated, as she hadn’t expected Oliver to take this so easily, especially considering the last time they spoke about this.
Nodding, Oliver kissed her forehead as he pulled her tight to him once more. “If that's what you need to do, then I won't stop you.... and I'm here for whatever you need.”
June 11
It had taken some time, but Lex’s body was finally confirmed among the wreckage at the facility a few days ago. Even though ashes were all that remained, today was his funeral, and like the last one she went to, Evie stood a healthy distance back, watching almost in disbelief.
“What are you doing here?”
It didn’t surprise her to hear his voice. Evie hadn’t told anyone where she was going to be, but Victor was way too good at reading her. She wanted to say that this was about saying goodbye, about getting that closure, but Evie doubted that this alone would transition her to finding her way in life.
“This may sound wrong,” Evie finally said, “but part of this is pride... showing how I’m still standing, that he didn’t beat me. I also wanted to be sure he’s really gone, because I really can’t believe that it’s all done.”
“For what it’s worth, I know this is going to sound weird... but I’m proud of you.” Evie turned to him immediately with widened eyes, so he explained himself. “Despite what it looks like on the surface, you never gave up.”
“I did though... I...”
Seeing how words failed her, Victor knew he had to correct her because what she was insinuating wasn’t what he meant. “You never let Lex dictate the terms, because you could have given him everything he wanted. Even in chains, he was more of a prisoner to you than you ever were to him.”
In her best moments, Evie wanted to see her situation like that. It was the one of the few reasons that she kept fighting. “I had to hold onto some sense of hope. If nothing else, I never wanted this to be used against me.”
“You no longer have to worry about that.” Victor looked down momentarily, slowly moving his hand to encase hers. He had surprised her, but she squeezed it lightly before Victor added, “You’re free.”
Evie took a couple breaths as she could see the people starting to disperse through the cemetery. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Turning her head to the side, Evie grinned at the man next to her, as they silently enjoyed they victory together.
June 20
Evie had always nervous about this meeting, allowing herself to show herself to someone she wasn’t sure she could trust. But after Chloe told her that Tess was instrumental in getting Evie back, even if it was with Lex’s ‘permission,’ Evie wanted to see her face-to-face. Knocking on the door, Evie heard Tess’ voice call her inside, so she turned the door knob slowly, walked in quietly into the office, waiting for Tess’ head to come up.
“Miss Mercer... my name is -”
“Evie, please come in” Tess smirked as she looked up at Evie, pulling back her chair almost right away. Even if she hadn't heard Evie's voice before, hers was a face wasn't one Tess was likely to forget. Walking around her desk, she held out her hand to the woman who changed her life. “And it’s Tess, please.”
It didn’t take long for Evie to shake her hand, if nothing else to show her appreciation for Tess' work to save her. “I noticed your last name hasn’t changed.”
It hadn’t, as Lex was too cocky to change his will, so after he officially passed away, all of his assets were legally Tess’ and this time... they were actually hers. "I have no intention of being more associated with that man than I already was.” That’s why there were many changes ahead; as Tess knew that there was a lot of work to do, which is why Tess had really called this meeting for today. “I was hoping if we’d meet... that I could do something for you.”
Evie shook her head. “Tess, what you’re doing with Victor is more than enough.” Saving people from tough situations, ensuring that people like her weren’t used against their will, that was all the thanks she needed.
It shouldn’t have surprised Tess that she knew about that, although she had hoped to tell Evie in person. But she continued nonetheless. “It will take some time, but I want to turn LuthorCorp around, let it stand for something more than what it is. And I was wondering if you would help me to do that.”
“Me?”
Tess smirked upon seeing Evie’s shocked reaction, but she was completely serious. “From what the papers report, you were Chloe’s right-hand women while Oliver was gone. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch for you.”
That may have been true, but that was always a temporary position and Evie couldn’t believe that Tess would take the time to learn about Evie’s business experience. “I’m flattered you’d even think of me.”
“You’re one of the few people I trust to do the job.” Tess had taken a look at Oliver’s books during the years he was away and it appeared that her work with Chloe had definitely seen dividends, even if Evie doubted her value in a business setting. “After all, I was the enemy as far as you’re concerned, but you still helped me.”
Something Evie would never regret, as in a way, Tess was much a victim as Evie was. “You were in a bad situation and Lex made it worse. No one deserves to be played like you did.” But seeing how serious Tess was made Evie realize that maybe there was a completely different professional path waiting for her. “As to your offer, can I think about it?”
Tess nodded. “Take all the time you need. This does not have an expiration date.”
June 28
With a little effort, Watchtower was a completely different place. The decorations around the room, the food filling up the tables and the people throughout the room... all for his birthday. Scott was a lot better, but moving was still a tough matter, so going out wasn’t likely, but he was at least able to leave his room, albeit with a little help from Bart.
Everyone had come by and given him something small, as it had been a long time since these people had been in his life, but Scott was just grateful for the lightened atmosphere. The last to arrive was Lois, who had been working late, but she came over right away and dropped a box of doughnuts on the table in front of him.
“You’re standing,” she said before opening the box and grabbing herself a maple doughnut. “What? It’s not like I can compete with Evie’s cooking.”
Scott hadn’t been standing for long, in fact, he couldn’t without leaning against the table, but he wanted to test out his body a little bit before sitting back down. “Evie... did all this?” It shouldn’t surprise him, but there was a lot of food, especially considering Bart’s appetite.
Lois nodded, as she had helped where she could, but Evie had been a machine in her kitchen for the past few days. “She wanted to ensure your birthday wasn’t marred by your injuries. It doesn’t help that she carries the guilt with her.”
Looking over to Evie, who was going from person to person with full glasses of punch, Scott couldn't help but grin at her effort into tonight. “I wish there was something I could do.”
“We all do, but time’s the best thing for her.” Lois started to walk away, but instead, she turned towards Scott once more. “Are you planning on staying for the next couple of weeks?”
Scott nodded, as he wasn’t planning on it, but his recovery would likely still take a little more time, not to mention his lack of employment, so there was no rush to head back. “I don’t see why not.”
“Clark and I are getting married; we’d like you to come.”
There were plenty of developments that Scott had heard about over the past couple weeks, and that particular one was especially interesting because Scott never imagined that her and Clark would last. “I love to come. I have to admit though... I always thought you two would kill each other first, but... love finds us in the most unexpected way, doesn’t it?”
“I guess it does.” Punching him lightly in the arm as she walked by, Lois added, “Happy Birthday.”
~0~
Looking around, Evie was pretty sure that she had covered everything. She had been ensuring that there was enough food, that glasses were full and that everyone was happy, but after awhile, everyone was telling her to relax. So she took a deep breath and headed towards the punch bowl, where Victor happened to be standing.
As she filled up her glass, she looked up at him and smiled. “Hey, how are you doing?”
“Not bad,” was his quick response and after that he walked away, causing Evie to sigh in frustration.
Everything was starting to fall into a sense of normal, except ever since she came back, it was like pulling teeth to get Victor to talk to her with the exception of Lex’s funeral. She hadn’t even had a chance to really apologize for what happened that fateful night in Watchtower.
Staring at her cup, it didn't take long for Evie to become disinterested by the contents. So she placed it down and leaned against the table, decided it was best to stay back for a minute, as everyone else seemed to be in higher spirits. After all, this party wasn’t just a showcase for Scott’s birthday; it was a full-blown apology to everyone in the room, which everyone seemed to sense. But Victor insisted on being difficult, which hurt her more than Evie wanted to admit.
“Hey,” she heard Bart say, so she turned to face her cousin.
He had seen everything, the exchange between her and Victor, and the frustration Evie had been exuding since. “Vic’s been a little off today, but I'm sure he’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Evie appreciated the effort, but even Bart knew that was a lie. “I don’t things are ever going to be the same between us. I did something to him... and I’m not sure if he’s ever going to forgive me.”
“Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?” Bart knew Evie was going to be surprised by his question, but it was all he could ask. He knew nothing about what happened between the two, but he knew neither party would divulge that secret. All Bart knew was that the looks between Evie and Victor weren’t subtle anymore; the only problem was that now they weren’t simultaneous and he was hoping that he could at least get them back to talking terms.
“I already have, Bart. I told him I... it doesn’t matter anymore. He doesn’t feel the same.” Evie knew what she was admitting to her cousin, but if Bart already knew everything, she figured it wouldn’t hurt. Furthermore, it felt good to tell someone, as Evie wasn’t sure how much she could share with Chloe or anyone else right now.
But that admission had revealed more to Bart than Evie had ever realized. He had been the first person to figure it out, but that was because he was close to both parties since their moving to Metropolis. Initially, Bart didn’t like it, but he also knew everything they had done to each other, and the effect that both had in revitalizing Bart’s own life. If they made each other happy, then so be it, as that was the only thing that really mattered. However, they had been distant for the past little while and staring at his cousin again, he recognized the guilt that flickered in her gaze. Evie thought she knew the cause, but the truth was that she had no idea. But Bart wasn’t the person to tell her that, that person was leaving Watchtower without even saying goodbye.
June 29
There was nothing like fresh air to clear Victor’s mind. The whole time at the party, he felt didn’t feel like himself. So he stayed long enough to make the rounds before leaving, because he couldn’t stay, even if he knew that his reason why was petty.
It was clear from the first moment he saw Scott that he wasn’t over his ex, and Victor couldn’t blame him. Evie... she was special. And he could give her everything she wanted. A normal guy, a normal life, and better yet, he accepted everything about her. How was Victor supposed to compete with that?
Opening the door to the apartment, Victor laid his keys on the table, turned on the light in the kitchen to get a glass of water, gulping down the liquid as fast as it came into the glass before slamming it on the counter. Staring down at the glass, Victor knew this wasn’t a good sign.
“If your mission was to hurt her, then congrats,” Bart said sarcastically. Turning around, Victor noticed his roommate standing there, his carefree expression long gone, and instead a mix of frustration and anger. “She just told me how much you mean to her, so whatever she did to you... can you forgive her and move on?”
At some point, Victor had expected Bart’s protective streak to kick in, but not with that particular approach. It seemed like Evie felt bad enough if she was telling Bart that much. But then Victor thought about it, about how he had been behaving since her return. It had been hard, but instead of salvaging what they had, Victor was acting like he was pulling away entirely, which wasn’t fair to the girl who pretty much gave him reasons to keep living.
“You’re right,” Victor finally said. He would apologize and make things better; she deserved that much from him.
July
.
serafina19
Title: Fighting Echoes
Summary: As identities and affiliations are exposed, the Justice League begins to form. But once an old foe re-emerges and raises the stakes, Evie is forced to determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect everyone she cares about. Sequel to “Notbroken,” and the final multi-chapter in the "Calendar Girl" verse.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Coarse language, violence and adult content.
Special thanks to:
552158 for the amazing banners that I couldn’t stop admiring when you sent them to me. Also, big love to
slytherinpunk, without you, I probably wouldn’t have the guts to try this.
August p.1 August p.2 September p.1 September p.2 October p.1 October p.2 October p.3 November p.1 November p.2 December p.1 December p.2 January p.1 January p.2 February p.1 February p.2 March April May June p.1
June 10
Her body mostly healed up, Evie went into the elevator at Watchtower, knowing one particular patient was still recovering. As all the body scans activated, Evie took a deep breath before it started to ascend. She had avoided elevators because they only reminded her of her encounter with Lex, and while Evie didn’t mind taking the stairs at home, it was a little excessive for her recovery to get up to Watchtower. that way So Evie sucked it up and let herself get used to this kind of space again, knowing her experience was far from the norm.
Sure enough, Watchtower greeted her as usual when she opened the double doors, daylight streaming through the windows, lighting up the room. Turning her head, Evie noticed Emil packing up his things. Smiling at her, he said, “Good to see you walking around.”
“It’s good being able to walk normally again,” Evie replied. For the past week, she could manage walking for a short period of time, but eventually the pain would be too much. And the sad part was that she had it easy. “How is he?”
Emil glanced upstairs, knowing the recovery hadn’t been easy, but Scott put on a brave face, which made his job easier. “His face is cleaning up well, but his ribs are another story... at least a couple more weeks of recovery left.”
Putting down her carrying case, Evie pulled out the containers of food she had prepared over the past couple of days. It wasn’t much, but considering what she couldn’t do, cooking was something she could. She was even able to teach Lois a couple recipes.
But like her friends, Evie discovered that sitting back wasn’t a strength of hers. Even if she was walking away, not helping more through this aftermath was tougher than she thought. “Emil... thank you for everything.”
Turning around in the doorway, Emil smiled at his old friend. “I’m glad to help out. However, I’m needed at Met Gen, do you mind?”
“No, I’ll be here for a bit.”
After the doors closed, Evie heated up the soup, figuring that simple was best at this time. Hearing the silence around her, it didn't take long for Evie to understand why Lois wanted her out of Watchtower for her recovery; everywhere she looked, there was a bittersweet memory. Not only that, but healing at home also allowed her to forget the extent of her actions, which were coming to the surface now. As she started taking the steps, bowl in hand, Evie remembered the state that Scott was in when she left, so as she neared his room, she felt herself swallowing hard. For even though he had forgiven her, it was hard for Evie to forgive herself.
Scott seemed to sense her pause, as before she entered the doorway, she heard him call out, “Please tell me that soup’s for me.” Evie laughed as she lost her hesitation, realizing the truth in Emil's words as she saw Scott sitting up in bed. She walked over to place the soup on the bedside table, but Scott didn’t take long to pick it back up. “I’ve missed your cooking.”
“I bet.” Evie chuckled again, as she rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. “You were rather lousy in the kitchen.”
It was as good as he remembered, but Scott placed the spoon down soon after his first taste. “But if memory serves, this was something you made when the weather or your mood was less than sunny.” Based on the sunshine coming through the windows at Watchtower and the way Evie’s expression fell, Scott could tell it was the latter. “You know that you can still talk to me right?”
“I know, but the problem is that...” Evie sat down and stared into empty space. “I guess the best way to say this is that I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”
“This has been part of your life so long... hard to let go, I guess.”
Evie shook her head. “You have no idea... or I guess you might.” Looking back at him, Evie quickly remembered the whole reason everything had panned out and the price paid for it. Evie knew that Scott didn’t regret it, but it wasn’t the healthiest thing on anyone’s conscious. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you for that.”
It would have been nice, as the burden was still there to an extent, but Scott had understood Lois’ reasoning and he had been far from alone. “Oliver and Chloe have stopped by a few times and Emil’s been a great help. Even Dinah said ‘hi’ before taking off.” Thinking about the people in Evie’s life and their role as heroes, Scott couldn’t help but ask, “Just how small is the world we live in?”
“I know, right?” Evie smiled once more; glad to hear the humour in Scott’s voice. This gave her hope that maybe they could revive their friendship after all, which was much more than she had anticipated.
~0~
Walking from the elevator, Oliver was surprised to see the Green Arrow room opened up as he closed the gate. “Chloe?” he called, wondering if she was in there.
Sure enough, within a few seconds, Chloe emerged from the room, closing it up while keeping her back to Oliver. As she turned around, she saw Oliver had moved right behind her, causing Chloe to peer up to his concerned eyes.
She knew that she had been quiet lately, but she had been thinking about her ability and just how much it taxed on her body. Before, Chloe had tested it, trying to control it, but now, she could hardly bring herself to do it. Even a papercut on her finger caused her to see Oliver in agony as she lifted her hand over the cut to heal it.
His hands reaching forward to grab hers, Oliver brought them between their bodies, maintaining his stare. He knew all too well what was bothering her and Chloe had been much too proud to admit it outright. But the fact that she had been housebound for the past three days was all the proof he needed.
Between Evie's and Scott’s recovery and working with Victor and Tess on the 33.1 database, there wasn’t time for what she did to sink in. Now things were under control, that was no longer the case. So Oliver took off work early, wanting to be there for her.
Chloe wanted to feel bad that he was leaving work for her, but at the same time, she felt her heart warm as she leaned forward to rest her head against his chest. There were too many circumstances where she was asked to be left alone and people listened to her, but not with Oliver. He knew when he needed to stay with her, even if she told him otherwise. That's why Chloe gave in, because she knew Oliver wouldn't leave without her talking about it. “You were right about the last resort thing. Seeing what it would take to make that difference, it was harder than I thought.”
Oliver squeezed her tighter against him, which was reassuring, but she had to get this out. “But I have to test it, Ollie. I understand your point of view but...” Chloe backed away and looked at him, “this is a fact of my life now and I can’t ignore it anymore.”
It wasn’t necessarily what Oliver wanted to hear, but he knew that Chloe had been doing a lot of thinking about this and she had listened to him last time, so it was his turn. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Chloe repeated, as she hadn’t expected Oliver to take this so easily, especially considering the last time they spoke about this.
Nodding, Oliver kissed her forehead as he pulled her tight to him once more. “If that's what you need to do, then I won't stop you.... and I'm here for whatever you need.”
June 11
It had taken some time, but Lex’s body was finally confirmed among the wreckage at the facility a few days ago. Even though ashes were all that remained, today was his funeral, and like the last one she went to, Evie stood a healthy distance back, watching almost in disbelief.
“What are you doing here?”
It didn’t surprise her to hear his voice. Evie hadn’t told anyone where she was going to be, but Victor was way too good at reading her. She wanted to say that this was about saying goodbye, about getting that closure, but Evie doubted that this alone would transition her to finding her way in life.
“This may sound wrong,” Evie finally said, “but part of this is pride... showing how I’m still standing, that he didn’t beat me. I also wanted to be sure he’s really gone, because I really can’t believe that it’s all done.”
“For what it’s worth, I know this is going to sound weird... but I’m proud of you.” Evie turned to him immediately with widened eyes, so he explained himself. “Despite what it looks like on the surface, you never gave up.”
“I did though... I...”
Seeing how words failed her, Victor knew he had to correct her because what she was insinuating wasn’t what he meant. “You never let Lex dictate the terms, because you could have given him everything he wanted. Even in chains, he was more of a prisoner to you than you ever were to him.”
In her best moments, Evie wanted to see her situation like that. It was the one of the few reasons that she kept fighting. “I had to hold onto some sense of hope. If nothing else, I never wanted this to be used against me.”
“You no longer have to worry about that.” Victor looked down momentarily, slowly moving his hand to encase hers. He had surprised her, but she squeezed it lightly before Victor added, “You’re free.”
Evie took a couple breaths as she could see the people starting to disperse through the cemetery. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Turning her head to the side, Evie grinned at the man next to her, as they silently enjoyed they victory together.
June 20
Evie had always nervous about this meeting, allowing herself to show herself to someone she wasn’t sure she could trust. But after Chloe told her that Tess was instrumental in getting Evie back, even if it was with Lex’s ‘permission,’ Evie wanted to see her face-to-face. Knocking on the door, Evie heard Tess’ voice call her inside, so she turned the door knob slowly, walked in quietly into the office, waiting for Tess’ head to come up.
“Miss Mercer... my name is -”
“Evie, please come in” Tess smirked as she looked up at Evie, pulling back her chair almost right away. Even if she hadn't heard Evie's voice before, hers was a face wasn't one Tess was likely to forget. Walking around her desk, she held out her hand to the woman who changed her life. “And it’s Tess, please.”
It didn’t take long for Evie to shake her hand, if nothing else to show her appreciation for Tess' work to save her. “I noticed your last name hasn’t changed.”
It hadn’t, as Lex was too cocky to change his will, so after he officially passed away, all of his assets were legally Tess’ and this time... they were actually hers. "I have no intention of being more associated with that man than I already was.” That’s why there were many changes ahead; as Tess knew that there was a lot of work to do, which is why Tess had really called this meeting for today. “I was hoping if we’d meet... that I could do something for you.”
Evie shook her head. “Tess, what you’re doing with Victor is more than enough.” Saving people from tough situations, ensuring that people like her weren’t used against their will, that was all the thanks she needed.
It shouldn’t have surprised Tess that she knew about that, although she had hoped to tell Evie in person. But she continued nonetheless. “It will take some time, but I want to turn LuthorCorp around, let it stand for something more than what it is. And I was wondering if you would help me to do that.”
“Me?”
Tess smirked upon seeing Evie’s shocked reaction, but she was completely serious. “From what the papers report, you were Chloe’s right-hand women while Oliver was gone. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch for you.”
That may have been true, but that was always a temporary position and Evie couldn’t believe that Tess would take the time to learn about Evie’s business experience. “I’m flattered you’d even think of me.”
“You’re one of the few people I trust to do the job.” Tess had taken a look at Oliver’s books during the years he was away and it appeared that her work with Chloe had definitely seen dividends, even if Evie doubted her value in a business setting. “After all, I was the enemy as far as you’re concerned, but you still helped me.”
Something Evie would never regret, as in a way, Tess was much a victim as Evie was. “You were in a bad situation and Lex made it worse. No one deserves to be played like you did.” But seeing how serious Tess was made Evie realize that maybe there was a completely different professional path waiting for her. “As to your offer, can I think about it?”
Tess nodded. “Take all the time you need. This does not have an expiration date.”
June 28
With a little effort, Watchtower was a completely different place. The decorations around the room, the food filling up the tables and the people throughout the room... all for his birthday. Scott was a lot better, but moving was still a tough matter, so going out wasn’t likely, but he was at least able to leave his room, albeit with a little help from Bart.
Everyone had come by and given him something small, as it had been a long time since these people had been in his life, but Scott was just grateful for the lightened atmosphere. The last to arrive was Lois, who had been working late, but she came over right away and dropped a box of doughnuts on the table in front of him.
“You’re standing,” she said before opening the box and grabbing herself a maple doughnut. “What? It’s not like I can compete with Evie’s cooking.”
Scott hadn’t been standing for long, in fact, he couldn’t without leaning against the table, but he wanted to test out his body a little bit before sitting back down. “Evie... did all this?” It shouldn’t surprise him, but there was a lot of food, especially considering Bart’s appetite.
Lois nodded, as she had helped where she could, but Evie had been a machine in her kitchen for the past few days. “She wanted to ensure your birthday wasn’t marred by your injuries. It doesn’t help that she carries the guilt with her.”
Looking over to Evie, who was going from person to person with full glasses of punch, Scott couldn't help but grin at her effort into tonight. “I wish there was something I could do.”
“We all do, but time’s the best thing for her.” Lois started to walk away, but instead, she turned towards Scott once more. “Are you planning on staying for the next couple of weeks?”
Scott nodded, as he wasn’t planning on it, but his recovery would likely still take a little more time, not to mention his lack of employment, so there was no rush to head back. “I don’t see why not.”
“Clark and I are getting married; we’d like you to come.”
There were plenty of developments that Scott had heard about over the past couple weeks, and that particular one was especially interesting because Scott never imagined that her and Clark would last. “I love to come. I have to admit though... I always thought you two would kill each other first, but... love finds us in the most unexpected way, doesn’t it?”
“I guess it does.” Punching him lightly in the arm as she walked by, Lois added, “Happy Birthday.”
~0~
Looking around, Evie was pretty sure that she had covered everything. She had been ensuring that there was enough food, that glasses were full and that everyone was happy, but after awhile, everyone was telling her to relax. So she took a deep breath and headed towards the punch bowl, where Victor happened to be standing.
As she filled up her glass, she looked up at him and smiled. “Hey, how are you doing?”
“Not bad,” was his quick response and after that he walked away, causing Evie to sigh in frustration.
Everything was starting to fall into a sense of normal, except ever since she came back, it was like pulling teeth to get Victor to talk to her with the exception of Lex’s funeral. She hadn’t even had a chance to really apologize for what happened that fateful night in Watchtower.
Staring at her cup, it didn't take long for Evie to become disinterested by the contents. So she placed it down and leaned against the table, decided it was best to stay back for a minute, as everyone else seemed to be in higher spirits. After all, this party wasn’t just a showcase for Scott’s birthday; it was a full-blown apology to everyone in the room, which everyone seemed to sense. But Victor insisted on being difficult, which hurt her more than Evie wanted to admit.
“Hey,” she heard Bart say, so she turned to face her cousin.
He had seen everything, the exchange between her and Victor, and the frustration Evie had been exuding since. “Vic’s been a little off today, but I'm sure he’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Evie appreciated the effort, but even Bart knew that was a lie. “I don’t things are ever going to be the same between us. I did something to him... and I’m not sure if he’s ever going to forgive me.”
“Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?” Bart knew Evie was going to be surprised by his question, but it was all he could ask. He knew nothing about what happened between the two, but he knew neither party would divulge that secret. All Bart knew was that the looks between Evie and Victor weren’t subtle anymore; the only problem was that now they weren’t simultaneous and he was hoping that he could at least get them back to talking terms.
“I already have, Bart. I told him I... it doesn’t matter anymore. He doesn’t feel the same.” Evie knew what she was admitting to her cousin, but if Bart already knew everything, she figured it wouldn’t hurt. Furthermore, it felt good to tell someone, as Evie wasn’t sure how much she could share with Chloe or anyone else right now.
But that admission had revealed more to Bart than Evie had ever realized. He had been the first person to figure it out, but that was because he was close to both parties since their moving to Metropolis. Initially, Bart didn’t like it, but he also knew everything they had done to each other, and the effect that both had in revitalizing Bart’s own life. If they made each other happy, then so be it, as that was the only thing that really mattered. However, they had been distant for the past little while and staring at his cousin again, he recognized the guilt that flickered in her gaze. Evie thought she knew the cause, but the truth was that she had no idea. But Bart wasn’t the person to tell her that, that person was leaving Watchtower without even saying goodbye.
June 29
There was nothing like fresh air to clear Victor’s mind. The whole time at the party, he felt didn’t feel like himself. So he stayed long enough to make the rounds before leaving, because he couldn’t stay, even if he knew that his reason why was petty.
It was clear from the first moment he saw Scott that he wasn’t over his ex, and Victor couldn’t blame him. Evie... she was special. And he could give her everything she wanted. A normal guy, a normal life, and better yet, he accepted everything about her. How was Victor supposed to compete with that?
Opening the door to the apartment, Victor laid his keys on the table, turned on the light in the kitchen to get a glass of water, gulping down the liquid as fast as it came into the glass before slamming it on the counter. Staring down at the glass, Victor knew this wasn’t a good sign.
“If your mission was to hurt her, then congrats,” Bart said sarcastically. Turning around, Victor noticed his roommate standing there, his carefree expression long gone, and instead a mix of frustration and anger. “She just told me how much you mean to her, so whatever she did to you... can you forgive her and move on?”
At some point, Victor had expected Bart’s protective streak to kick in, but not with that particular approach. It seemed like Evie felt bad enough if she was telling Bart that much. But then Victor thought about it, about how he had been behaving since her return. It had been hard, but instead of salvaging what they had, Victor was acting like he was pulling away entirely, which wasn’t fair to the girl who pretty much gave him reasons to keep living.
“You’re right,” Victor finally said. He would apologize and make things better; she deserved that much from him.
July
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