Title: Early Intervention
Author: zadie
Rating: um..PG (I think)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything and no infringement is intended. I'm just taking the toys out of the box for a while, I promise to put them back in one piece.
Genre: Totally AU
Spoilers: Not many, maybe for Season 3.
A/N: I don't know what happened. I'm not a poster. I don't post. I'm also not much of a writer, my writing is lazy and unfinished at best and I have a serious aversion to proof reading (and punctuation), but I was watching Memoria.... and this ate my brain. I was compelled. I think I'm still in shock.
***********
It was not often that Lionel Luthor was at a loss. In his life he rarely allowed himself to feel emotions that were superfluous to his goals, like guilt or shame. So, when faced with the bitter tears of his young son and the pain in those blue eyes, so like his own and his mother’s before him, he found himself not only the victim of uncomfortable emotions but also at a loss as to how to deal with them, let alone console Lex.
He did his best, which for a man of his nature was better than most. Lex’s dawning wonder at the tale he spun of heroes and dragons was enough to ease the guilt tightening his chest, but the uncertainty still churned in his gut, unfamiliar and unwelcome.
Casting his mind about for a solution, he was saved by the timely intercession of Fate.
“Excuse me sir” Balins interrupted with a discreet cough. He had been the family’s butler since before Lex’s birth, having joined the household when his wife did. The upright and sombre man had worked for years for Lillian’s father and now did excellent service as his daughter’s major domo.
“Yes what is it?” Lionel asked, not looking up from his son’s bowed head, but grateful for the interruption.
“I’m sorry to disturb you but a visitor has arrived and is inquiring if the family is at home.”
“I didn’t have anything scheduled” he replied impatiently “Who is it?”
“Excuse me sir but the caller is for Master Luthor”
Lex looked up at that, his tear streaked face alight with surprise and hope.
“For me? Who is it Balins?” he asked, with what Lionel thought was an embarrassing display of eagerness.
“The young lady didn’t give a name sir” the butler replied gravely “But she did insist upon seeing you. She was most adamant that she give you her gift in person.”
Lex jumped off the couch, eager to see the mystery girl who came bearing gifts.
Lionel pulled the servant aside.
It was a testament to Balins’ skills that his employer didn’t even need to voice a question for the man to say,
“Mr Raynes has cleared her, he does not believe she presents any threat to Master Luthor or the household. She arrived alone on a bicycle but I am informed that there is a security detail shadowing her. Their vehicle and general appearance suggest that they are from Yasnaya.”
“Falstaff?” Lionel questioned out loud, actually surprised for the first time in a long while.
The incredibly wealthy man, whose estate bordered their own, was one of the most successful businessmen in the country and simultaneously one of the least known. Gregorian Falstaff had inherited money, made even more and hardly ever set foot outside of his park’s extensive grounds.
Lionel knew the man, despite being an astute and ruthless opponent, was also a virtual hermit. In the years they’d been neighbours he’d seen him once and that was by accident when a deer he’d been hunting had strayed onto Lionel’s land. The brief meeting had been tense and unprofitable and caused Lionel to develop an abiding dislike for the older man. He’d heard rumours of a woman and possible marriage about six months ago but had dismissed it as idle gossip and speculation.
Now it seems he may have been too hasty, although there could have been any number of reason’s for Lex’s visitor to have an escort from Gregorian’s private army. However his instincts told him that his first assumption was most likely the right one.
Regardless, it definitely bore further investigation.
Mind made up, he followed quickly behind his son, taking the servants stairs and bypassing the main hall. He reached his destination before Lex, coming into the front parlour by a side door. He opened it only slightly, wanting to observe before he made a decision as to the nature of Lex’s surprise visitor.
The little girl who stood waiting for his son looked nothing like the notoriously unattractive Falstaff. She was tiny and blonde and couldn’t have been older than seven. What she was doing here and how she knew Lex he had no idea.
Lex came into the room, his eyes lighting upon the girl. He looked confused before approaching her, evidently trying to remember who she was.
“Hi” she said, looking down in a moment of shyness.
“I remember you” he said bluntly and Lionel felt a brief moment of despair at his son’s lack of finesse. “We met at the opera last week.”
“Yeah” she said with a nervous smile “I’m Chloe.”
“Chloe?” he questioned
“Chloe Sul..Falstaff” she said looking uncomfortable again. “We’ve just moved in and... I..um..I remembered that your Auntie said it was your birthday today.”
“She isn’t my Aunt” Lex cut in, looking slightly uncomfortable “Pamela is my Nanny”
Chloe blinked, evidently not familiar with the concept.
“Like Mary Poppins?” she asked guilelessly, her brow wrinkled in confusion.
“Not really” Lex said but it wasn’t as scathing as it could have been.
“Oh” she said, looking a little hurt but rallying again easily. “Anyway, I remembered it was your birthday and I just” she reached behind her for a brightly wrapped package
“I just wanted to say Happy Birthday.” she held out the package, looking shy and nervous but hopeful at the same time.
Lex slowly took the gift, smiling in a manner that Lionel could tell meant he was unsure.
“Um..thank you.”
“You don’t have to open it now” she said quickly “I mean if you want to wait and open it later, at your party or something, that’s okay. I just hope you like it. Not that you have to. If you don’t like it and want to throw it away, um, that’s okay. I didn’t really know what you like and all the shops here are different but I thought it was nice and I liked it so I hoped you would like it too.”
Lex blinked at her before looking back down at the package in his hands.
“I think I’d like to open it now” he said, looking back up at her with a half smile. “If that’s okay with you?”
She nodded vigourously, looking relieved and hopeful.
Lex turned the gift carefully, sliding his finger under the divide on the silver and purple paper. It was rather clumsily wrapped, leading Lionel to believe that the girl had completed all parts of the gifting process without much adult supervision.
The paper was peeled back and he saw Lex holding a book.
The cover was plain with gold embossed writing. Lionel tried to read it from his vantage point but was too far away.
Lex evidently had no idea what to say.
Chloe fidgeted slightly, looking up at his face to try and read his expression.
“Do you already have it?” she asked quietly “It’s okay if you do. I was thought you might have read it already but I only read it a little while ago and it’s my favourite. You can take it back to the shop and get another one if you don’t like it” she said twisting her hands in her shirt, which, while expensive and well made, was rumpled and slightly dirty.
“No.” Lex said, still looking at the book “No. It’s great.”
“Really?” Chloe asked
“Really.” Lex’s smile was genuine “Thank you.”
Chloe smiled shyly back. “You’re welcome.”
She bit her lip, still looking at Lex who was turning the book over in his hands again.
“Did you..” she paused, looking at her feet again “Did you maybe want to come over and play sometime?” she continued in a rush “Mom and I just moved here and I haven’t made any friends yet and Mr Falstaff needs my Mom to help him so she can’t play and..” she trailed off, perhaps realising she’d said too much but she showed that fortitude again by continuing bravely, “But then I met you and you were really cool and I thought maybe we could be friends, even though I’m still a kid. I know you probably have lots of big friends already but maybe.... I mean....would you like to be my friend?”
“Yeah” Lex said quietly “I’d like that.”
Chloe smiled back at him, the expression lighting up her whole face and giving her a luminous quality, transforming the messy little tomboy into a shining joyous sprite. Lionel blinked thinking for the first time that maybe this girl was more than she appeared.
Lex was evidently drawn in by her sudden charm if his answering smile was anything to judge by.
“Would you like to come over tomorrow or the next day? I know your probably busy with your birthday today.”
Lex hesitated, clearly wanting to spend time with another child, particularly in the face of his empty afternoon, but Lionel knew that Lex also didn’t want Chloe to see the decorations and remains of his party, the shame and hurt he’d suffered at the lack of attendance still at the front of his mind.
Fortunately, Lionel knew that Balins had had everything removed as soon as Lex had left the room, anticipating the possible outcome of this visit.
He decided it was time to make his presence known.
“Ah Lex, this is where you’d gotten to. But who is this?” he said, striding into the room as if he hadn’t been watching the entire exchange.
“Dad” Lex said, startled at his sudden appearance. Lionel smiled, shifting his eyes pointedly to Chloe.
“Oh, um Dad.. this is Chloe. She just moved in next door.” Lex’s words seemed artless but Lionel knew that next door meant several acres of gardens and woodland, not to mention high fences and private security forces.
Chloe straightened up, trying to surreptitiously brush off her shirt.
“Chloe, this is my father, Lionel Luthor”
“How do you do Mr Luthor” she said politely
“And what is this?” he asked, reaching over and easily plucking the gift from where Lex had left it on the sofa. He saw his son make an abortive move to stop him but he pretended not to see, finally reading the title of the mysterious gift.
“Treasure Island?” he queried, looking over at his son who looked away.
“It’s my favourite” Chloe chimed in, clearly not uncomfortable addressing adults, despite her previous shyness.
“Really?”
“Chloe gave it to me.” Lex spoke, his tone slightly belligerent beneath the trepidation “For my birthday.”
“I see. Well, it’s a fine gift Lex and I hope you thanked the young lady properly.”
Lex flushed but nodded but before he could say anything Chloe spoke again,
“Yes he did. He has very nice manners, much better than mine. Mr Falstaff says I have to go to finishing school to correct all my bad habits.” she bit her lip, obviously not sure if she should reveal this but compelled to fill up the silence and, Lionel was amused to note, defend her friend of only a few minutes against a perceived insult.
“That does sound like something he would say” Lionel agreed “But Miss Falstaff, for my part I believe your manners are without fault.”
She beamed at him, her startled look showing him that she was clearly unused to such praise from adults. Ideas began spring up in his ever busy mind, none of them fully formed but all of them intriguing. The girl’s potential, as a friend, as a tool or even a weapon remained to be seen, but it was becoming obvious that a new piece had just been dropped onto the board.
“Would you like to stay to dinner?” he asked artlessly, knowing that while his son might see through him, this sweet faced child would have no idea.
“Oh” she looked at Lex, “Um..would that be okay? I know it’s Lex’s birthday and I don’t want to mess anything up if your having a special dinner or something.”
“Nonsense. You’d be very welcome. I’ll have Pamela call and inform your mother as to where you will be.”
“Thank you sir” she said
“Now, why don’t the two of you run along. Dinner won’t be for several hours and I’m sure Chloe doesn’t want to stay here making small talk” he said, looking his son with a small smile “Why don’t you give her a tour of the house?” he suggested
Lex shot him a quick look before turning back to his new friend.
“You could show her your comic book collection” Lionel suggested, unable to keep his scorn at this past time of his son’s out of his voice. Perhaps the child’s disdain would assist him in ceasing such behaviour.
“Comics?” Chloe asked, looking up at Lex, her pale brows crinkled in what even Lionel could acknowledge was a somewhat adorable expression.
As his son reluctantly nodded Chloe’s face once again broke into a smile.
“I love comics! Do you like Warrior Angel?”
“It’s my favourite” Lex said with a smile
“Mine too!” Chloe said excitedly “I haven’t got the new one, I didn’t have time before we moved.”
“I’ve got it upstairs” Lex said, all of his apprehension now gone. “Do you want to come see?”
“Please” she said with a nod, both children forgetting his presence as they left the room.
Lionel felt his mouth twist into a small smile, the expression completely involuntary but undeniable.
He silently followed them out, listening to the little girl chatter away and hearing his son’s replies, growing steadily longer and more enthusiastic the more he warmed up to his newest, and, Lionel had to own, possibly his only friend.
“My room has a secret door in it” Chloe was saying, “but it’s locked. I asked Mrs Polenova for a key but she says I’m not allowed to use it and that I shouldn’t go poking my nose where it doesn’t belong.” she finished, eagerly following Lex up the stairs.
“I don’t have a secret door but my room does have a balcony. You can see all the way down to the river. Last year there was a bird’s nest right above the door. You could even see the baby birds when the mom brought them food. And when there’s a storm, all the windows shake like it’s an earthquake.”
“Wow!” Chloe squeaked, clearly delighted at this impressive feature. “That’s so cool! There aren’t many balconies at our new house. I don’t think Mr Falstaff likes going outside very much. Do you have any ghosts? I’m pretty sure there’s some at our place.”
“Really? Have you seen one?”
“Well...no.” the girl said and Lionel knew from her tone she would be frowning, “But I’m sure they’re there.”
“How do you know?” Lex asked and Lionel could hear the excited tone in the boy’s voice.
“Well, it’s really old. And also there are these really creepy rooms at the top of the house that are full of sheets and spiders and heaps of old boxes. Also, sometimes, at night....”
Lionel listened as their voices faded with the distance. A very surprising afternoon it had been. He’d have to find out more about Falstaff’s new wife and the tiny blonde urchin. The ideas spinning in his head were beginning to form plans and ideas, none of them whole, but all of them had the potential to be very useful.
“Very useful indeed.” he mused, staring after the children who had long since disappeared.
THE END
A/N: Okay, so that was it. I totally ripped Falstaff from Batman but the character was just perfect for my purposes.
This is obviously my first thread post too, so if I've done it completely wrong, please let me know so I can edit it or whatever (it may be a weeny bit over word limit!). I also didn't really read over it so I apologise for any glaring errors. I hope people enjoy and that I can now reclaim my brain from the monster that ate it.
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