Story: "Expanding Horizons" Part 5 - Ats/Smallville
Title: Expanded Horizons Part 5 ("Collision Course")
Author: Guardian Erin
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1,500
Fandom: Ats/Smallville
Characters: Lex, Spike
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Here we go.
Mattie hugged her knees, watching the news report for what felt like the hundredth time. She couldn't find a channel that didn't interrupt the broadcast to bring news about the Metroplis museum robbery. Every detail was covered - who the men were, what was stolen, the crime statistics in Metropolis.
They brought up Clark's name again, describing his heroic actions. It made her heart absolutely flutter. Few guys were so genuinely brave. No one seemed to try to date him, either. A guy so perfect, and now this publicity, Mattie wondered how many would come out now just because he was sort of famous. She liked him first.
They showed a clip of Lex again, giving a brief statement to reporters about the incident, and giving his thanks to Clark, his best friend.
Mattie frowned and muted the TV to make the lies stop. She knew Lex Luthor was a bad person. It was as obvious as the day was long.
Clark would be better off without Lex in his life.
Mattie's eyes glowed green.
~~
Spike managed to find a road - a long, winding, seemingly endless road in the middle of fuck all nowhere. This expedition was going just swimmingly. The trees were sparse and pitiful around him. No convenient caves. He'd have to start digging a hole to hide in, otherwise this whole stupid idea would end in a few hours with a sun rise and his skin smelling like a barbeque.
He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and trudged on. And then he saw headlights. Not from a moving car, however... they were actually facing the wrong way on a road, perpendicular to the street. Spike was wondering what sort of dozy driver had spun out on the road, when he saw an enormous black shape move against the light, and slam into the car, shoving the vehicle sideways a making a horrible noise.
~~
It came out of nowhere. There hadn't been another car on the road. Not unless their lights were off. But Lex could have sworn that whatever it was had plowed into him from the side, and there was nothing but steep banking and impossible trees. He'd hit his head when the car had spun and skidded to a stop. He had sat dazed for a moment, looking around for another wrecked vehicle, but there was nothing but the sound of his own engine.
Then a footstep. And another. Loud. Something running towards his car.
It slammed into him again. Lex felt like a rag doll being tossed, and was suddenly glad for having decided to buckle up, but it just stopped his head from smashing into the steering wheel. The car made a grinding noise as it moved sideways, slowly, and then the pressure let off and the car settled again.
Someone was trying to kill him, Lex figured. Not a big surprise, after a day of having a gun pointed at his head. What shook him up was the fact that the attack wasn't making sense. No second engine, no squealing tires or other noises from a second vehicle. But it was huge. It had to be some kind of animal. A goddamned bison, maybe? Fuck. Lex Luthor was the unluckiest man alive.
He reached for the clutch, hoping to get the car in gear and get te hell out of there. As soon as he shifted, it attacked again, this time right at his door.
The metal crinkled, the glass shattered, fragments bursting all over him. The creature's head slammed into his shoulder, and he felt a pop, and then enormous pain. It snarled, hot moist breath on his neck, and Lex lifted a fist to punch it, just to get it away. He felt like he was hitting concrete, but thankfully it worked - the creature pulled its head away and left.
Lex took a deep breath, but knew that it wasn't gone. And it wasn't a bison, or anything he'd ever seen before. It moved like an oversized cat, but with thicker features and bulging muscles built for brute force. Its skin looked like wet leather, and the entire thing was at least as big as a Hummer.
It only moved away for a second, but with the adrenaline coursing through him, it felt like forever to Lex. The car didn't seem to want to go, and this creature wasn't going away.
Then there was a yell. Surprisingly, it wasn't from his own lips. Lex could see someone on the road, just at the edges of his high beams. Someone crazy and about to die, he realized, because the creature had turned on them, and they didn't have the advantage of being trapped in a steel cage.
There was a roaring sound, and the creature leapt off into the darkness at this stranger.
"No, no," Lex muttered, fumbling with his seat belt. His left arm felt broken, his hands tingling, and the other arm was in sympathtic shock. He managed to unlatch himself, and shoved at the door to get out. The car was wrecked, he knew. It was the least of his worries if he lived through this. Lex managed to kick at the door, and it popped open, then creaked open with difficulty and he stumbled out.
"Get back in the car!" the stranger yelled at him. Lex found himself unable to do much more than stand there dumbfounded while his brain tried to cooperate with the whole thinking coherently thing. "Stupid dolt," he heard. Lex realized that the man wasn't being crushed to death... he was actually fighting the behemoth with his fists and winning.
"Get your ugly head down here," Spike grumbled, cocking back his fist for another punch. He didn't know what this thing was. For all he knew he could be beating to death the equivalent of an earth cow. It looked like a demon, but one that was far less sophisticated than what he considered average.
He just started to round on it again when the creature suddenly shrieked and... exploded into a cloud of greenish dust.
Spike startled, finding himself swinging at empty air. He caught his balance again and straightened up, still on guard in case this was just a ploy, like one of Dracula's stupid gypsy tricks.
The dust settled on the ground, scattering with the slightest breeze. Spike couldn't feel anything mystical lingering behind... it seemed to be gone. He furrowed his brow and stepped away cautiously, moving towards the bashed up car and slightly less damaged driver standing there.
"You alright?" Spike questioned, peering at the young man.
Lex swallowed slowly. "I'm still alive," he answered defensively.
"Lucky at that, then," Spike snorted. "What kind of idiot decides he's better off getting out of the vehicle? Lucky I was here and being nice enough and all to try to save your life. People like you make it difficult when you fling yourselves at death given the opportunity."
"Thank you," Lex said. Spike stopped his tirade, staring at the man. He could smell the blood on him, and the lingering fear. Here they were in the middle of nowhere, on this endless road, and it seemed lucky enough that the car was still running.
"Better get on," Spike suggested. "Head home now, have a nice cuppa and count your blessings."
Lex listened to the words, and felt as if he had to take a long time to understand them. Home was a good idea. After the day he had, Lex felt like calling for high security and just barricading himself in a room with a few bottles of hard liquor. He went back to the car, and as he reached for the door he was stopped by a hand.
"No, you're hurt," Spike said. He just about lifted the man off his feet and brought him to the passenger side, wrought open the dented metal, and forced him inside. A second later Lex found himself buckled up in the passenger seat, with the stranger sliding in behind the wheel.
"Nice car," Spike commented. "Or used to be. Where's your flat?"
Lex gestured with an extended hand. "A few miles that way," he muttered. The other man flung the car into gear and left with a squeal of tires, kicking up green dust as they left. His head hurt and his left arm was just in agony and his entire body felt like it was throbbing with rocket fuel burning in his veins.
He still felt on edge, but surprisingly not so much as he would have thought, with a stranger in his car. Being attacked by some enormous mutated-looking creature seemed to make other things seem silly. And whoever this guy was, he really had no clue who he had just saved, Lex realized. Normally he'd be suspicious of someone getting close to him, but this time he was relieved... relieved to just be able to get the hell out of there. Not being known was a rare thing... but actually quite a blessing at the same time.
Lex took a deep breath, and then another, trying to keep his mind off of the pain, but rather failing. Despite what he might have wished, Lex soon passed out.
Lex took a deep breath, and then another, trying to keep his mind off of the pain, but rather failing. Despite what he might have wished, Lex soon passed out.
Author: Guardian Erin
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1,500
Fandom: Ats/Smallville
Characters: Lex, Spike
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Here we go.
Mattie hugged her knees, watching the news report for what felt like the hundredth time. She couldn't find a channel that didn't interrupt the broadcast to bring news about the Metroplis museum robbery. Every detail was covered - who the men were, what was stolen, the crime statistics in Metropolis.
They brought up Clark's name again, describing his heroic actions. It made her heart absolutely flutter. Few guys were so genuinely brave. No one seemed to try to date him, either. A guy so perfect, and now this publicity, Mattie wondered how many would come out now just because he was sort of famous. She liked him first.
They showed a clip of Lex again, giving a brief statement to reporters about the incident, and giving his thanks to Clark, his best friend.
Mattie frowned and muted the TV to make the lies stop. She knew Lex Luthor was a bad person. It was as obvious as the day was long.
Clark would be better off without Lex in his life.
Mattie's eyes glowed green.
~~
Spike managed to find a road - a long, winding, seemingly endless road in the middle of fuck all nowhere. This expedition was going just swimmingly. The trees were sparse and pitiful around him. No convenient caves. He'd have to start digging a hole to hide in, otherwise this whole stupid idea would end in a few hours with a sun rise and his skin smelling like a barbeque.
He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and trudged on. And then he saw headlights. Not from a moving car, however... they were actually facing the wrong way on a road, perpendicular to the street. Spike was wondering what sort of dozy driver had spun out on the road, when he saw an enormous black shape move against the light, and slam into the car, shoving the vehicle sideways a making a horrible noise.
~~
It came out of nowhere. There hadn't been another car on the road. Not unless their lights were off. But Lex could have sworn that whatever it was had plowed into him from the side, and there was nothing but steep banking and impossible trees. He'd hit his head when the car had spun and skidded to a stop. He had sat dazed for a moment, looking around for another wrecked vehicle, but there was nothing but the sound of his own engine.
Then a footstep. And another. Loud. Something running towards his car.
It slammed into him again. Lex felt like a rag doll being tossed, and was suddenly glad for having decided to buckle up, but it just stopped his head from smashing into the steering wheel. The car made a grinding noise as it moved sideways, slowly, and then the pressure let off and the car settled again.
Someone was trying to kill him, Lex figured. Not a big surprise, after a day of having a gun pointed at his head. What shook him up was the fact that the attack wasn't making sense. No second engine, no squealing tires or other noises from a second vehicle. But it was huge. It had to be some kind of animal. A goddamned bison, maybe? Fuck. Lex Luthor was the unluckiest man alive.
He reached for the clutch, hoping to get the car in gear and get te hell out of there. As soon as he shifted, it attacked again, this time right at his door.
The metal crinkled, the glass shattered, fragments bursting all over him. The creature's head slammed into his shoulder, and he felt a pop, and then enormous pain. It snarled, hot moist breath on his neck, and Lex lifted a fist to punch it, just to get it away. He felt like he was hitting concrete, but thankfully it worked - the creature pulled its head away and left.
Lex took a deep breath, but knew that it wasn't gone. And it wasn't a bison, or anything he'd ever seen before. It moved like an oversized cat, but with thicker features and bulging muscles built for brute force. Its skin looked like wet leather, and the entire thing was at least as big as a Hummer.
It only moved away for a second, but with the adrenaline coursing through him, it felt like forever to Lex. The car didn't seem to want to go, and this creature wasn't going away.
Then there was a yell. Surprisingly, it wasn't from his own lips. Lex could see someone on the road, just at the edges of his high beams. Someone crazy and about to die, he realized, because the creature had turned on them, and they didn't have the advantage of being trapped in a steel cage.
There was a roaring sound, and the creature leapt off into the darkness at this stranger.
"No, no," Lex muttered, fumbling with his seat belt. His left arm felt broken, his hands tingling, and the other arm was in sympathtic shock. He managed to unlatch himself, and shoved at the door to get out. The car was wrecked, he knew. It was the least of his worries if he lived through this. Lex managed to kick at the door, and it popped open, then creaked open with difficulty and he stumbled out.
"Get back in the car!" the stranger yelled at him. Lex found himself unable to do much more than stand there dumbfounded while his brain tried to cooperate with the whole thinking coherently thing. "Stupid dolt," he heard. Lex realized that the man wasn't being crushed to death... he was actually fighting the behemoth with his fists and winning.
"Get your ugly head down here," Spike grumbled, cocking back his fist for another punch. He didn't know what this thing was. For all he knew he could be beating to death the equivalent of an earth cow. It looked like a demon, but one that was far less sophisticated than what he considered average.
He just started to round on it again when the creature suddenly shrieked and... exploded into a cloud of greenish dust.
Spike startled, finding himself swinging at empty air. He caught his balance again and straightened up, still on guard in case this was just a ploy, like one of Dracula's stupid gypsy tricks.
The dust settled on the ground, scattering with the slightest breeze. Spike couldn't feel anything mystical lingering behind... it seemed to be gone. He furrowed his brow and stepped away cautiously, moving towards the bashed up car and slightly less damaged driver standing there.
"You alright?" Spike questioned, peering at the young man.
Lex swallowed slowly. "I'm still alive," he answered defensively.
"Lucky at that, then," Spike snorted. "What kind of idiot decides he's better off getting out of the vehicle? Lucky I was here and being nice enough and all to try to save your life. People like you make it difficult when you fling yourselves at death given the opportunity."
"Thank you," Lex said. Spike stopped his tirade, staring at the man. He could smell the blood on him, and the lingering fear. Here they were in the middle of nowhere, on this endless road, and it seemed lucky enough that the car was still running.
"Better get on," Spike suggested. "Head home now, have a nice cuppa and count your blessings."
Lex listened to the words, and felt as if he had to take a long time to understand them. Home was a good idea. After the day he had, Lex felt like calling for high security and just barricading himself in a room with a few bottles of hard liquor. He went back to the car, and as he reached for the door he was stopped by a hand.
"No, you're hurt," Spike said. He just about lifted the man off his feet and brought him to the passenger side, wrought open the dented metal, and forced him inside. A second later Lex found himself buckled up in the passenger seat, with the stranger sliding in behind the wheel.
"Nice car," Spike commented. "Or used to be. Where's your flat?"
Lex gestured with an extended hand. "A few miles that way," he muttered. The other man flung the car into gear and left with a squeal of tires, kicking up green dust as they left. His head hurt and his left arm was just in agony and his entire body felt like it was throbbing with rocket fuel burning in his veins.
He still felt on edge, but surprisingly not so much as he would have thought, with a stranger in his car. Being attacked by some enormous mutated-looking creature seemed to make other things seem silly. And whoever this guy was, he really had no clue who he had just saved, Lex realized. Normally he'd be suspicious of someone getting close to him, but this time he was relieved... relieved to just be able to get the hell out of there. Not being known was a rare thing... but actually quite a blessing at the same time.
Lex took a deep breath, and then another, trying to keep his mind off of the pain, but rather failing. Despite what he might have wished, Lex soon passed out.
Lex took a deep breath, and then another, trying to keep his mind off of the pain, but rather failing. Despite what he might have wished, Lex soon passed out.