Ficlet: Lies and Consequences
Title: Lies and Consequences
Rating: G
Pairing: Unhappy Lexana, shades of Clex
Spoilers: Through S6 Falllout.
Summary: Alternative ending to Fallout wherein Lex makes a difficult decision.
Word count: 574
“Then I guess we’ll never know,” Lana said enigmatically, turning her head towards the fire.
Lex sighed softly weighing his options. The last time he’d been here… he’d loved her then, too.
“We aren’t even, Lana,” he replied in a severe tone. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes angrily.
“What?”
“You went behind my back, took sensitive information, and put everyone in this city in danger,” he continued in an escalating tone. He wasn’t yelling yet. But he wanted to, the more he thought about it. Clark had been at the mansion directly after that thing had shown up. If he had been a few minutes earlier, if it had been later…
Memories of Zod flashed before his eyes. Those things could hurt Clark. And the device had drawn it right to their doorstep.
“You were keeping secrets about that project, and you know it,” she hissed, curling the fabric of the blanket around herself protectively.
“You had access. You could have been asking questions. But you didn’t use it, and you didn’t ask.” Lex stood and walked away from her. He didn’t need the heat of the fire. His anger was warming him just fine. “I didn’t lie to you. You didn’t give me the opportunity. In fact, you never gave me the impression that you would care that we were creating weapons. Last I heard from you on the subject, we were on the same side.”
He looked over his shoulder to see her wrinkling her nose in displeasure. It wasn’t one of her more attractive expressions.
“I’m not going to buy into your emotional blackmail. If it comes between saving the world and being with you? I choose the world. I have to. You may not be aware of this, Lana, but you are part of the world. You aren’t an alternative to it.” He turned around all the way. Lana opened her mouth to protest, to try to turn this back around on him. “No, you listen to me. Not to long ago, an alien invaded my body and tried to wipe out life on this planet. You think the world doesn’t need saving? Go hide your head with the rest of the populace. We aren’t going to deliberately suffer in ignorance here.”
“Sometimes I think the only thing the world needs saving from is you.” The words came harsh and fast. It was the only card she could think of to play. She flinched as he walked towards her.
“I didn’t cause the aliens to come; I simply failed to stop them. I wasn’t dedicated enough. I allowed myself to be distracted. Believe me, this is not a mistake I intend to repeat.”
She stood and looked at him haughtily. “What are you saying?”
“You are going somewhere tonight, as it turns out. Pack your things. Get out.” Lex turned from her again, leaving her gaping as she dropped her blanket to the floor.
Between love, lust, and life, there are no easy answers. Personal wants are so often put on hold for the greater good, for the simple fact that as humans we hurt and betray one another, often thoughtlessly. The greater the trust, the greater the betrayal, and when we have placed ourselves in such a position where we must sacrifice for others, there becomes a need to limit betrayals of this sort.
The hero’s road is a lonely one, as Lex was finding out.
Rating: G
Pairing: Unhappy Lexana, shades of Clex
Spoilers: Through S6 Falllout.
Summary: Alternative ending to Fallout wherein Lex makes a difficult decision.
Word count: 574
“Then I guess we’ll never know,” Lana said enigmatically, turning her head towards the fire.
Lex sighed softly weighing his options. The last time he’d been here… he’d loved her then, too.
“We aren’t even, Lana,” he replied in a severe tone. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes angrily.
“What?”
“You went behind my back, took sensitive information, and put everyone in this city in danger,” he continued in an escalating tone. He wasn’t yelling yet. But he wanted to, the more he thought about it. Clark had been at the mansion directly after that thing had shown up. If he had been a few minutes earlier, if it had been later…
Memories of Zod flashed before his eyes. Those things could hurt Clark. And the device had drawn it right to their doorstep.
“You were keeping secrets about that project, and you know it,” she hissed, curling the fabric of the blanket around herself protectively.
“You had access. You could have been asking questions. But you didn’t use it, and you didn’t ask.” Lex stood and walked away from her. He didn’t need the heat of the fire. His anger was warming him just fine. “I didn’t lie to you. You didn’t give me the opportunity. In fact, you never gave me the impression that you would care that we were creating weapons. Last I heard from you on the subject, we were on the same side.”
He looked over his shoulder to see her wrinkling her nose in displeasure. It wasn’t one of her more attractive expressions.
“I’m not going to buy into your emotional blackmail. If it comes between saving the world and being with you? I choose the world. I have to. You may not be aware of this, Lana, but you are part of the world. You aren’t an alternative to it.” He turned around all the way. Lana opened her mouth to protest, to try to turn this back around on him. “No, you listen to me. Not to long ago, an alien invaded my body and tried to wipe out life on this planet. You think the world doesn’t need saving? Go hide your head with the rest of the populace. We aren’t going to deliberately suffer in ignorance here.”
“Sometimes I think the only thing the world needs saving from is you.” The words came harsh and fast. It was the only card she could think of to play. She flinched as he walked towards her.
“I didn’t cause the aliens to come; I simply failed to stop them. I wasn’t dedicated enough. I allowed myself to be distracted. Believe me, this is not a mistake I intend to repeat.”
She stood and looked at him haughtily. “What are you saying?”
“You are going somewhere tonight, as it turns out. Pack your things. Get out.” Lex turned from her again, leaving her gaping as she dropped her blanket to the floor.
Between love, lust, and life, there are no easy answers. Personal wants are so often put on hold for the greater good, for the simple fact that as humans we hurt and betray one another, often thoughtlessly. The greater the trust, the greater the betrayal, and when we have placed ourselves in such a position where we must sacrifice for others, there becomes a need to limit betrayals of this sort.
The hero’s road is a lonely one, as Lex was finding out.