Fic: Redemption (3/?)
Title: Redemption (3/?)
Author: Babette babettew54
Category: Smallville
Characters: Tess/Oliver, Lois/Clark/Kal-El
Rating: T
Word Count: 1,900
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Tess and Oliver see things differently now.
Beta: paradisekendra
Author’s Notes: In this next chapter, Superman and Lex Luthor meet for the first time and under very unique circumstances, and later Oliver and Tess are finding it difficult to move forward. Please read and review. Thanks, everyone! :D
Story banner by paradisekendra!
~o~o~
Previously:
( Chapter 1) ( Chapter 2)
Chapter 3: Rebirth
A few days later at Metropolis General:
Lois and Clark came back to visit Tess, she was awake, and able to digest a few liquids. Lois saw color in her face and her eyes were positively sparkling.
"Well, you look like you're ready to take on the world. I don't need to ask how you're feeling. Do I?" Lois teased and smiled at her.
Tess swallowed her tea and smiled. "No, I feel fine now."
Lois and Clark glanced at each other.
"We're glad, Tess. We ran into Oliver the other day. He seemed ... different." Clark began.
"Oh?" Tess was quiet, not saying anything else as she sipped her tea, and then she decided to change the subject. "I saw you on the television, Clark. Can I assume that Darkseid is gone and the darkness along with it?"
Lois and Clark exchanged glances again and decided to take the hint. They really didn't want to upset her, not here and not now.
"Yes, he's gone, but I can't find Lex, which is another problem, a much bigger problem. When I confronted him, he actually called me by my Kryptonian name ... Kal-El," Clark said and shuddered remembering.
"You don't have to worry about Lex anymore," Tess said, inwardly smiling at their curious expressions.
"What do you mean? This is terrible for all of us. He knows all our secrets, he's insane, and there's no telling what he might do," Lois stressed wondering if the drugs had addled her brain.
"Now, don't get upset. I know I should have told you beforehand but with the wedding and the world coming to an end, there was no time. I had to do it; there was no other way."
"What did you do, Tess?" Clark asked, worried about all of them.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for moment and told them what happened. "After Lex stabbed me and I lay dying, I touched his cheek with a neurotoxin that took away all his memories ... all of them."
Lois turned to her fiancé, took his hand in hers knowing what this could mean for him and for all of them.
"Tess, I don't know what to say, but ... thank you," Clark said truly touched and grateful for all that she had done.
She shook her head humbled by his gratitude. "It was nothing," she mumbled and tried to hide her face by sipping more tea.
"Nothing, huh, I don't think so," Lois replied and smiled at Tess's twinkling eyes peeping out over her cup.
Tess put down her cup and leaned back on her pillow seemingly exhausted, hoping to give them a hint. She couldn't talk about Oliver. It was still too fresh in her heart that she wanted to savor their time together and not have it analyzed and possibly degraded for what it was. I'm not even sure what it was at this point. "You know all this wonderful food has worn me out," she said as she glanced at her mountain of leftovers, a Jell-O cup, cold broth and now cold tea.
Lois got the hint and so did Clark. "We'll let you rest for now but we will have that talk later about ... everything," Lois told her with a look, her meaning clear, and then she squeezed her hand.
"Thank you, Lois," Tess replied, truly grateful.
"Goodbye, Tess," Clark said, as he too squeezed her hand.
"Bye, Clark," Tess responded and smiled.
Tess watched them leave and then the doubts crowded into her mind.
Will he come back like he promised he would?
~o~o~
On the outskirts of Smallville, an hour later:
Clark and Lois were flying back to the farm and after much discussion they had decided to keep both the farm and their apartment in Metropolis, at least for the time being.
Suddenly, Clark spotted someone walking along a dirt road headed to the farm. They were high enough in the sky that no one could see them, but his vision must be playing tricks on him as he narrowed his eyes. It couldn't be, but it was him. "I can't believe this."
"What is it, what do you see?" Lois asked, too high in the sky to see anything.
"It's Lex and he's headed to the farm," Clark told her shocked. "What if Tess's neurotoxin didn't work, what if ...?"
"Now, we don't know what Lex remembers and we won't know unless you talk to him. Drop me in town and you can pick me up later."
"But if he doesn't remember, I can't just leave him out here walking around in circles, like a homeless person or something."
"I know you'll think of something, Clark. I trust you."
He smiled amazed at her. "Alright, this won't take long, hang on."
He flew Lois back to town where she would wait for him at their apartment. Clark flew back to the farm. He wasn't sure if he should meet with him as Clark Kent or in his new superhero costume. He decided to keep the suit on. It was the best way to catch Lex off guard if he remembers.
He flew over his head and landed just ahead of him. "Sir, are you lost? There's not much around here, only a few farms."
Lex appeared confused as he looked around at the fields of corn, the dirt road, and the never-ending fences. It seemed somehow familiar but he couldn't decide or make sense of anything. He looked back at the young man again. He couldn't imagine why he thought a man wearing tights and a cape didn't shock him but it didn't. "Who are you?"
Clark quirked a smile. "A friend."
"Oh, are we friends?"
"No, I've never seen you before. Here, I'll help you find your family. What's your name?"
He frowned, still confused. Lex replied, "I can't remember."
Clark had his answer. "I'll take you to a hospital where they can make sure you're not injured and I'm sure they can find your family."
Lex was relieved. "Thank you, Mr. ...?" He waited for a reply.
Clark chuckled amused as he covered up his hesitation. He needed a name. He would have to talk to Lois about that. "Just a friend; are you ready?" Clark asked as he helped him get situated.
"What you are doing?"
"I'm carrying you to the hospital."
"Oh, ok," Lex seemed to trust him somehow.
Clark had been to Smallville Hospital so many times in the past, that he thought it best he not go inside, so he set Lex down close to the front door and directed him inside. "Go on, someone will help you once you get inside. Just ask a nurse, you know, a lady with a white suit and a white hat. She'll help you."
"Will I see you again?" Lex asked and decided he liked the young man.
Clark hesitated then quirked another smile. "I'm always around," he replied, turned and shot up into sky and waved goodbye.
Lex waved back, turned and entered the hospital.
~o~o~
Tess's room at Metropolis General:
"Tess, are you there?" Lois had just given Tess the good news over the phone that the neurotoxin had worked on Lex.
"I heard you, Lois," Tess replied as she tried to keep her composure. It appeared as if all their prayers had been answered.
Oliver poked his head inside her room and saw that Tess was upset about something. "What's wrong? Who's that on the phone?"
"It's Lois," Tess replied as she closed her eyes.
"Give me the phone. You need your rest and if Lois is upsetting you …?"
"She's not upsetting me, Oliver, and please don't hover over me. I'm not a child."
He gritted his teeth not saying anything.
Tess returned to her call. "Yes, Lois, I'm here. Yes, I'll talk to you later. Yes, I will, goodbye, Lois." Tess turned off the phone and placed it on her bedside table.
She couldn't decide what she felt at the moment, total joy and happiness that he had come back or utter dread that he was going to tell her that he had decided to stay with Chloe after all. "Well, look who decided to come back."
Awkward silence followed that comment. "Tess, I …" Oliver hesitated.
Tess took a deep breath and watched him come closer. She sighed then changed her mind. "I'm sorry I snapped. I know you had … things to do."
"It's alright and I'm sorry I haven't been back to see you." He changed the subject. "What did Lois want?"
"She had some good news."
"Oh, and what was it?" He took her hand.
She grinned, enjoying their closeness. "Lex is no longer a problem."
He squeezed her hand. "I know, Clark told me."
"He did? When?
"A little while ago, and while I was away, I … umm … took care of a few things for you."
She frowned, not liking that at all. "What things, Oliver?"
"Well, we don't know what will happen with Lex in the future and I wanted you taken care of."
"What do you mean taken care of? I don't even know what will happen between you and me. That's a little presumptuous of you, don't you think?"
"No, Tess, I didn't mean that, what I meant was financially. You don't have to worry about any of it. So, no matter what happens with Lex, you'll be ok."
Tess was moved to tears. Her emotions seemed to be all over the place, heightened since her near death experience or maybe it was a while ago that everything seemed to be affecting her emotions, she couldn't be sure.
"Everything's going to be alright, Tess," he said and leaned down to stroke her hair.
She wasn't so sure about that. She looked at him trying to read him.
"I know that look. Trust me, Tess."
She wasn't so sure about that either. She had to know as she looked him in the eye.
"What about Chloe?"
TBC!
~o~o~
A/N: Nope, can't ignore the elephant stomping around trying to be heard. Thanks for reading. Reviews are love! :D
Author: Babette babettew54
Category: Smallville
Characters: Tess/Oliver, Lois/Clark/Kal-El
Rating: T
Word Count: 1,900
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Tess and Oliver see things differently now.
Beta: paradisekendra
Author’s Notes: In this next chapter, Superman and Lex Luthor meet for the first time and under very unique circumstances, and later Oliver and Tess are finding it difficult to move forward. Please read and review. Thanks, everyone! :D
Story banner by paradisekendra!
~o~o~
Previously:
( Chapter 1) ( Chapter 2)
Chapter 3: Rebirth
A few days later at Metropolis General:
Lois and Clark came back to visit Tess, she was awake, and able to digest a few liquids. Lois saw color in her face and her eyes were positively sparkling.
"Well, you look like you're ready to take on the world. I don't need to ask how you're feeling. Do I?" Lois teased and smiled at her.
Tess swallowed her tea and smiled. "No, I feel fine now."
Lois and Clark glanced at each other.
"We're glad, Tess. We ran into Oliver the other day. He seemed ... different." Clark began.
"Oh?" Tess was quiet, not saying anything else as she sipped her tea, and then she decided to change the subject. "I saw you on the television, Clark. Can I assume that Darkseid is gone and the darkness along with it?"
Lois and Clark exchanged glances again and decided to take the hint. They really didn't want to upset her, not here and not now.
"Yes, he's gone, but I can't find Lex, which is another problem, a much bigger problem. When I confronted him, he actually called me by my Kryptonian name ... Kal-El," Clark said and shuddered remembering.
"You don't have to worry about Lex anymore," Tess said, inwardly smiling at their curious expressions.
"What do you mean? This is terrible for all of us. He knows all our secrets, he's insane, and there's no telling what he might do," Lois stressed wondering if the drugs had addled her brain.
"Now, don't get upset. I know I should have told you beforehand but with the wedding and the world coming to an end, there was no time. I had to do it; there was no other way."
"What did you do, Tess?" Clark asked, worried about all of them.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for moment and told them what happened. "After Lex stabbed me and I lay dying, I touched his cheek with a neurotoxin that took away all his memories ... all of them."
Lois turned to her fiancé, took his hand in hers knowing what this could mean for him and for all of them.
"Tess, I don't know what to say, but ... thank you," Clark said truly touched and grateful for all that she had done.
She shook her head humbled by his gratitude. "It was nothing," she mumbled and tried to hide her face by sipping more tea.
"Nothing, huh, I don't think so," Lois replied and smiled at Tess's twinkling eyes peeping out over her cup.
Tess put down her cup and leaned back on her pillow seemingly exhausted, hoping to give them a hint. She couldn't talk about Oliver. It was still too fresh in her heart that she wanted to savor their time together and not have it analyzed and possibly degraded for what it was. I'm not even sure what it was at this point. "You know all this wonderful food has worn me out," she said as she glanced at her mountain of leftovers, a Jell-O cup, cold broth and now cold tea.
Lois got the hint and so did Clark. "We'll let you rest for now but we will have that talk later about ... everything," Lois told her with a look, her meaning clear, and then she squeezed her hand.
"Thank you, Lois," Tess replied, truly grateful.
"Goodbye, Tess," Clark said, as he too squeezed her hand.
"Bye, Clark," Tess responded and smiled.
Tess watched them leave and then the doubts crowded into her mind.
Will he come back like he promised he would?
~o~o~
On the outskirts of Smallville, an hour later:
Clark and Lois were flying back to the farm and after much discussion they had decided to keep both the farm and their apartment in Metropolis, at least for the time being.
Suddenly, Clark spotted someone walking along a dirt road headed to the farm. They were high enough in the sky that no one could see them, but his vision must be playing tricks on him as he narrowed his eyes. It couldn't be, but it was him. "I can't believe this."
"What is it, what do you see?" Lois asked, too high in the sky to see anything.
"It's Lex and he's headed to the farm," Clark told her shocked. "What if Tess's neurotoxin didn't work, what if ...?"
"Now, we don't know what Lex remembers and we won't know unless you talk to him. Drop me in town and you can pick me up later."
"But if he doesn't remember, I can't just leave him out here walking around in circles, like a homeless person or something."
"I know you'll think of something, Clark. I trust you."
He smiled amazed at her. "Alright, this won't take long, hang on."
He flew Lois back to town where she would wait for him at their apartment. Clark flew back to the farm. He wasn't sure if he should meet with him as Clark Kent or in his new superhero costume. He decided to keep the suit on. It was the best way to catch Lex off guard if he remembers.
He flew over his head and landed just ahead of him. "Sir, are you lost? There's not much around here, only a few farms."
Lex appeared confused as he looked around at the fields of corn, the dirt road, and the never-ending fences. It seemed somehow familiar but he couldn't decide or make sense of anything. He looked back at the young man again. He couldn't imagine why he thought a man wearing tights and a cape didn't shock him but it didn't. "Who are you?"
Clark quirked a smile. "A friend."
"Oh, are we friends?"
"No, I've never seen you before. Here, I'll help you find your family. What's your name?"
He frowned, still confused. Lex replied, "I can't remember."
Clark had his answer. "I'll take you to a hospital where they can make sure you're not injured and I'm sure they can find your family."
Lex was relieved. "Thank you, Mr. ...?" He waited for a reply.
Clark chuckled amused as he covered up his hesitation. He needed a name. He would have to talk to Lois about that. "Just a friend; are you ready?" Clark asked as he helped him get situated.
"What you are doing?"
"I'm carrying you to the hospital."
"Oh, ok," Lex seemed to trust him somehow.
Clark had been to Smallville Hospital so many times in the past, that he thought it best he not go inside, so he set Lex down close to the front door and directed him inside. "Go on, someone will help you once you get inside. Just ask a nurse, you know, a lady with a white suit and a white hat. She'll help you."
"Will I see you again?" Lex asked and decided he liked the young man.
Clark hesitated then quirked another smile. "I'm always around," he replied, turned and shot up into sky and waved goodbye.
Lex waved back, turned and entered the hospital.
~o~o~
Tess's room at Metropolis General:
"Tess, are you there?" Lois had just given Tess the good news over the phone that the neurotoxin had worked on Lex.
"I heard you, Lois," Tess replied as she tried to keep her composure. It appeared as if all their prayers had been answered.
Oliver poked his head inside her room and saw that Tess was upset about something. "What's wrong? Who's that on the phone?"
"It's Lois," Tess replied as she closed her eyes.
"Give me the phone. You need your rest and if Lois is upsetting you …?"
"She's not upsetting me, Oliver, and please don't hover over me. I'm not a child."
He gritted his teeth not saying anything.
Tess returned to her call. "Yes, Lois, I'm here. Yes, I'll talk to you later. Yes, I will, goodbye, Lois." Tess turned off the phone and placed it on her bedside table.
She couldn't decide what she felt at the moment, total joy and happiness that he had come back or utter dread that he was going to tell her that he had decided to stay with Chloe after all. "Well, look who decided to come back."
Awkward silence followed that comment. "Tess, I …" Oliver hesitated.
Tess took a deep breath and watched him come closer. She sighed then changed her mind. "I'm sorry I snapped. I know you had … things to do."
"It's alright and I'm sorry I haven't been back to see you." He changed the subject. "What did Lois want?"
"She had some good news."
"Oh, and what was it?" He took her hand.
She grinned, enjoying their closeness. "Lex is no longer a problem."
He squeezed her hand. "I know, Clark told me."
"He did? When?
"A little while ago, and while I was away, I … umm … took care of a few things for you."
She frowned, not liking that at all. "What things, Oliver?"
"Well, we don't know what will happen with Lex in the future and I wanted you taken care of."
"What do you mean taken care of? I don't even know what will happen between you and me. That's a little presumptuous of you, don't you think?"
"No, Tess, I didn't mean that, what I meant was financially. You don't have to worry about any of it. So, no matter what happens with Lex, you'll be ok."
Tess was moved to tears. Her emotions seemed to be all over the place, heightened since her near death experience or maybe it was a while ago that everything seemed to be affecting her emotions, she couldn't be sure.
"Everything's going to be alright, Tess," he said and leaned down to stroke her hair.
She wasn't so sure about that. She looked at him trying to read him.
"I know that look. Trust me, Tess."
She wasn't so sure about that either. She had to know as she looked him in the eye.
"What about Chloe?"
TBC!
~o~o~
A/N: Nope, can't ignore the elephant stomping around trying to be heard. Thanks for reading. Reviews are love! :D