Did someone order depressing agnst?
Happy Birthday virtualinsomnia
I'm sure it's still your birthday somewhere in the world.
Or maybe not. I'm a little iffy on the whole "Time Zone" thing.
Anyway, here it is! (As polished as it's likely to get, considering I don't want to de-spoil my beta) Very close to on time, even!
Spoilers for season 3 of Smallville. (You know, the good season.)
She paced in front of the schoolhouse, checking her watch every few minutes.
After what seemed like an eternity, a small boy in a well starched coat and sweater vest came bounding down the stairs. He looked around, making sure his father wasn't there, no doubt, before barreling towards her for a ferocious hug.
"Mom! What are you doing here?"
She smiled and just held him for a moment.
"Mom?" He pulled away and looked up.
"I'm taking you home, sweety." She brushed a hand over his completely smooth head. So fragile looking, without even a hat to protect it.
The boy took a step back. "Does dad know?" He asked, far too serious for his age.
She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "Come on now." She turned and headed for the black BMW, hoping he would simply follow.
She turned to find him still rooted to the spot where she had left him. "He's just going to send me back." Voice trying desperately not to betray a quiver.
She sighed. So ingrained, the fear in him. "He wont be home until tomorrow, at the earliest. I'll bring you back before then, ok?"
She could see the indecision in his eyes. Torn between the want to come with her, and the need to obey Cesar. And damn, she wondered how she had ever loved Lionel. Look what he'd done to their son.
Finally, daring won out, and he to the car and hopped in as though at any moment his father might ascend from the underworld to snatch him up.
Lillian, in constrast, casually walked around to the drivers side and got in. She smiled again at Alexander, trying to reassure him.
They drove for a while in silence, the unreality of the outside world making her bold. Finally, she glanced over at her boy. "What do you say we take off tonight, just you and me? Go someplace out of the country? You liked Milan, didn't you?"
Alexander's eyes widened in fear. "Dad would be so mad when he found us!"
"What if..." The hum of the engine, Alexanders soft breathing, and the reckless feeling of not having anything to loose cemented her resolve. She was taking her son and leaving. And never looking back. "What if we go somewhere safe? Somewhere he'll never find us?"
"Where's that, Mom?"
And she looked over blue eyes far too open. Looking somehow all the more defenseless in his unframed face. So trusting. He honestly wanted to know.
And the answer was, nowhere. There is nowhere on earth he wouldn't track them down. She'd made her deal with the devil, and now they were both paying for it.
Choking back tears, she said, "How about we just go for some ice cream, then?"
Alexander just nodded solemnly.
***
Lillian stood over the crib, purple silk pillow clasped in her hands.
Purple silk, for the little prince. Lionel was right, he did look like a little prince. So open, so trusting. Not afraid to cry. To feel.
Alexander had looked like that once.
"Shh..." she tried to sooth, but he continued to cry. "It's ok Julian." She began to lower the pillow into the crib. "I'm going to send you someplace safe. Someplace he can never find you..."
And after an eternity, the crying stopped.
I'm sure it's still your birthday somewhere in the world.
Or maybe not. I'm a little iffy on the whole "Time Zone" thing.
Anyway, here it is! (As polished as it's likely to get, considering I don't want to de-spoil my beta) Very close to on time, even!
Spoilers for season 3 of Smallville. (You know, the good season.)
She paced in front of the schoolhouse, checking her watch every few minutes.
After what seemed like an eternity, a small boy in a well starched coat and sweater vest came bounding down the stairs. He looked around, making sure his father wasn't there, no doubt, before barreling towards her for a ferocious hug.
"Mom! What are you doing here?"
She smiled and just held him for a moment.
"Mom?" He pulled away and looked up.
"I'm taking you home, sweety." She brushed a hand over his completely smooth head. So fragile looking, without even a hat to protect it.
The boy took a step back. "Does dad know?" He asked, far too serious for his age.
She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "Come on now." She turned and headed for the black BMW, hoping he would simply follow.
She turned to find him still rooted to the spot where she had left him. "He's just going to send me back." Voice trying desperately not to betray a quiver.
She sighed. So ingrained, the fear in him. "He wont be home until tomorrow, at the earliest. I'll bring you back before then, ok?"
She could see the indecision in his eyes. Torn between the want to come with her, and the need to obey Cesar. And damn, she wondered how she had ever loved Lionel. Look what he'd done to their son.
Finally, daring won out, and he to the car and hopped in as though at any moment his father might ascend from the underworld to snatch him up.
Lillian, in constrast, casually walked around to the drivers side and got in. She smiled again at Alexander, trying to reassure him.
They drove for a while in silence, the unreality of the outside world making her bold. Finally, she glanced over at her boy. "What do you say we take off tonight, just you and me? Go someplace out of the country? You liked Milan, didn't you?"
Alexander's eyes widened in fear. "Dad would be so mad when he found us!"
"What if..." The hum of the engine, Alexanders soft breathing, and the reckless feeling of not having anything to loose cemented her resolve. She was taking her son and leaving. And never looking back. "What if we go somewhere safe? Somewhere he'll never find us?"
"Where's that, Mom?"
And she looked over blue eyes far too open. Looking somehow all the more defenseless in his unframed face. So trusting. He honestly wanted to know.
And the answer was, nowhere. There is nowhere on earth he wouldn't track them down. She'd made her deal with the devil, and now they were both paying for it.
Choking back tears, she said, "How about we just go for some ice cream, then?"
Alexander just nodded solemnly.
***
Lillian stood over the crib, purple silk pillow clasped in her hands.
Purple silk, for the little prince. Lionel was right, he did look like a little prince. So open, so trusting. Not afraid to cry. To feel.
Alexander had looked like that once.
"Shh..." she tried to sooth, but he continued to cry. "It's ok Julian." She began to lower the pillow into the crib. "I'm going to send you someplace safe. Someplace he can never find you..."
And after an eternity, the crying stopped.