METROPOLIS COURTROOM
“Miss Sullivan, you stated to the prosecution that the alleged voicemail recording of Mr. Luthor was taken in a private room at Metropolis General Hospital?”
“Yes I did.” Chloe looked Lindsey directly in the eye, her voice steady as she answered.
“Why were you at the hospital Miss Sullivan?”
“I had come into contact with a chemical agent that had been known to have lethal side effects.”
“And how did you come into contact with this chemical agent?”
“I came in contact with it during my visit to the LuthorCorp plant the previous day.”
“Miss Sullivan, was this visit made with permission from either the defendant or his son?”
“Objection Your Honor. This has no relevance to the case.” Michael’s voice was strong and steady as he rose from his seat.
“Your Honor, it goes to character.” Lindsey kept his gaze on the judge.
The judge paused, considering.
“I’ll allow it. But only so far. Continue.”
Lindsey couldn’t help smirking just a little. “Did you or did you not have permission from either the defendant or his son to enter the plant.”
“No. I did not.” Chloe waited patiently, having expected and prepared for these questions.
“So you were trespassing, weren’t you Miss Sullivan? Tell me, how did you gain access to the plant?”
“I borrowed a security card from an old friend of my Dad’s-”
“Borrowed or stole?” Lindsey cut in quickly. Chloe tried to answer but Lindsey was quicker.
“Did you have permission to take the security card?”
“No.” She hadn’t been prepared for how much effort it took to keep her controlled, calm demeanor. She wondered, not for the first time, how the Luthors’ managed it so well.
“So you stole it, Miss Sullivan.”
“Yes, but it was only so that I could-”
“So you admit you stole it, and while trespassing, came into contact with a chemical agent that made everyone tell you the truth. Do you really expect us to believe that?” Lindsey’s voice was pitched in a way to make the jury think it was a joke, and it only infuriated her more.
“It’s true!” She heard the desperation in her voice but quickly tried to control it. “The scientist in the lab I was in were working on a secret project started by Lionel Luthor, and I was exposed to the chemical in the lab. That’s why Mr. Luthor couldn’t help but tell me the truth” She waited, resisting the urge to look to Lex for support, as Lindsey smiled feral-like. She’d known from the start this part she had to do on her own.
“You expect the jury to believe the word of a 17 year old girl, who has confessed to committing criminal acts?”
“I stopped being a “girl” a long time ago Mr. Kane.” Chloe’s voice was full of conviction. “Having to grow up in Smallville, and dealing with some of its residents,” here her gaze slid towards Lionel before focusing again on Lindsey, “forces you to put away the idealism of youth.”
Lindsey quickly switched topics. “Tell the court what you were doing at the plant that day Miss Sullivan.”
“I was trying to help my father, who had been blacklisted by Lionel Luthor, making it impossible for him to find a job.”
“And how would breaking and entering help your father?…Unless,” Lindsey paused as if suddenly struck by an idea, “Unless you were hoping to find something you could blackmail my client with. Was that it Miss Sullivan? Was that how you planned on helping your father, by adding yet another crime to your list?”
“No..Yes…I”
“Which is it Miss Sullivan? Are you even capable of doing anything but lying?”
“I don’t lie unless I’m forced to.”
“You faked your own death, making your closest friends and family believe you had perished in an explosion. Sounds like a rather huge lie to me. I have no further questions.”
Chloe took a deep breath, trying not to shiver at the look in Lionel’s eyes. Tearing her eyes away, she focused instead on Lex, who was staring directly at her. His face was blank but his eyes were determined as they bored into hers.
“Thank you Miss Sullivan.” The compassion in the judge’s voice steadied her as well, and she sat up a little straighter.
“Do you have any more questions Mr. Vincent?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
Taking a deep breath, she looked away from Lex, focusing on Michael and preparing for the next round of emotional torture.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“The prosecution rests, your honor.”
Chloe breathed a sigh of relief as she was told to step down. Walking on slightly unsteady legs she managed to make it to where Lex was sitting, sinking down onto the bench next to him.
“You did fine.”
The words were barely a whisper against her ear, but she felt the impact of them through out her body as she finally relaxed, shoulders slumping, the weight of the past four months, hell, the past year, finally falling off.
“If there are no objections,” the judge paused for a moment, nodding as silence reigned. “Closing arguments will take place at 9AM tomorrow morning.”
The pounding of the gavel echoed loudly through the courtroom.
“And now we wait.” She muttered the words under her breath, leaning back against the hard wooden bench and wondering if she would sleep at all tonight.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SMALLVILLE
Clark slowed down his brisk pace as he noted a familiar figure leaving the hardware store two doors in front of him. He’d decided to drop in on his mother at the Talon and perhaps get his mind off the depressing thoughts that had been plaguing him lately. Seeing Lana appear before him only a few doors away from his goal, he almost gave into the urge to avoid her by ducking into a doorway. But avoiding things only tended to make them worse—he’d learned that the hard way. Taking a deep breath, he slowed to a casual walk as he approached Lana, deciding this was as good a time as any to try and get past their awkwardness.
“Lana.”
Lana turned quickly at the familiar voice. “Clark. What are you doing here?” She was not surprised to feel the familiar flutter in her stomach as she watched him approach.
“I was on my way to meet my mom at the Talon. Let me help you with that.” He reached over and took the bag of what looked like wires and cables from her arms with a smile.
She smiled at him in turn, but felt a little disappointed with his response, although she wasn’t sure what she’d wanted him to say. Mentally kicking herself for feeling that way, she decided the safest thing to do would be the usual, ignore it.
“So where are you going?” Clark hoped he didn’t sound too eager, but he couldn’t help but notice that she looked a little more relaxed than when they’d last talked.
“The Talon actually. Your mom was kind enough to let me rent the room there.” She watched his face for a reaction, noting surprise and perhaps pleasure cross his handsome features. One thing Clark was not good at was masking his emotions, and part of her was grateful for that.
“You’re staying at the Talon?” Clark was glad to hear she’d gotten settled, a bit surprised he hadn’t wondered earlier about where she was going to stay.
“With Chloe and her dad…gone,” Lana’s voice cracked a little and Clark could have smacked himself for making her think of Chloe. Because now he was too, even as she continued. “I didn’t have any other place in town to stay. Guess I should have thought of that before I came rushing home huh?”
“Yeah.” It was all Clark could think of to say. They continued walking, but the easiness to their earlier conversation had disappeared, replaced now by a strained silence. Clark felt a sense of relief as they approached the Talon and rather quickly, he moved forward, holding the door open as Lana followed him inside.
Martha looked up to see her son opening the door for her new tenant while holding a bag. It was clear that the awkwardness between the two from earlier was still present. She sighed quietly as she watched the two young people move towards the stairs, stopping at the foot of them.
She kept her expression neutral as Lana took the bag her son had been carrying, giving him a small smile in thanks. Her ears picked up on the soft “good night” directed towards her son, and she returned the small wave in her direction Lana gave as she ascended the staircase, never looking back.
Her heart ached for Clark, who watched until Lana disappeared inside the apartment with a look of longing that held more than a touch of frustration. She began bustling around, taking care of little insignificant things while waiting for her son to move in her direction. Moments later, she breathed a sigh of relief as Clark made his way to the counter and took a seat in front of her. Without speaking, she poured him a glass of milk and set it on the bar in front of him. They remained silent before her motherly concern kicked in and she decided to get the conversation rolling.
“I take it your second meeting didn’t go any better than the first.” She kept her voice neutral, waiting see where Clark wanted to take this.
“I don’t know why it’s so hard to talk to her.” There was a genuine confusion in his words that made her heart clench in sympathy.
“Communication can be very simple, or extremely difficult. But if what you want to say is important enough, the words will come when the time is right.” She hoped her son could understand what she was trying to tell him.
“Maybe…” She followed her son’s gaze as he looked up towards Lana’s room and sighed.
“Maybe…?” She wasn’t sure where his mind was at the moment.
“Maybe Lana’s coming back from Paris is a sign. A sign that I should tell her.”
“Tell her what?” She needed to ask although she already suspected she knew the answer.
“The truth. All of it.” The hope mixed with desperation in his voice nearly broke her heart again.
“Clark, that’s a big…”
“Responsibility. I know,” he cut in, leaning his head against his hand as he looked at his mother intently. “It’s just that…I don’t know.” He sighed in frustration, running his free hand through his hair. “One of the reasons we couldn’t make a relationship work was my secret. And now with Pete gone, and any idea I might have had of telling Chloe out of the question, I feel so … alone.”
He hated admitting that; didn’t want his mother or father to think he didn’t appreciate all they’d been through and done for him to help keep his secret. But it wasn’t the same as having someone his own age to confide in … especially with the things he’d learned in his disturbing time with Jor-El, although he wasn’t sure he could speak of that to anyone, had yet to even talk to his parents about it.
“Clark, sweetheart, I know it’s frustrating for you to have to keep your secret. I know how much you want those you care about to know the truth.” She reached over and laid a hand gently on his arm. “But the truth comes with a great burden. Look at Pete and what he went through protecting you and that truth.”
Clark nodded, although the guilt was gnawing at him again, remembering his friend’s fears over unconsciously revealing Clark’s secret and the responsibility that knowledge had on his life as well as Clark’s. He did not want to saddle anyone with that, it was enough his parents had to deal with it daily.
But it didn’t change the fact that he’d always liked having Pete to talk to about the changes he was going through or even to show off his skills and abilities in harmless ways.
Martha watched his face, knowing him well enough to realize what he was thinking. When she sensed his mind was focusing again, she leaned closer and gently touched his cheek with her palm. She wanted to say this delicately but make sure he understood clearly the repercussions.
“That secret that we all protect so tirelessly can either strengthen your bond with the person you tell, or completely destroy whatever feelings there may have been. So if and when you decide to take someone into your confidence, you need to be sure of that person and the reason you are confiding in them.”
As she watched the reluctant acceptance of the truth cross her son’s face, Martha Kent wished, as she had so many times over the years, that she could take the weight of her son’s gifts upon her own shoulders.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
METROPOLIS COURTROOM - NEXT DAY
Chloe avoided looking at Lionel from her seat next to Lex as she tried to ignore the slight shaking she felt in her legs as she crossed them. She’d barely slept at all and only hoped the makeup covered the dark circles under her eyes.
Lex, she noted in annoyance, looked completely rested and cool as a cucumber. Only a Luthor could sleep easily the night before such a monumental day. However, her annoyance was tempered some as she caught a flash of something in his eyes as Michael began his closing arguments.
“Lionel Luthor admitted to having his parents killed. There is no question that is his voice on that tape. Experts have testified to that fact. What seems to be in question is Ms. Sullivan. But she isn’t the one on trial here. Lionel Luthor is. Ms. Sullivan admitted, truthfully how she came about Lionel Luthor’s confession. She admitted to faking her own death. Not for kicks, but to protect those she cares most about from being hurt. She risked everything to see that that man paid for his crimes. She is a hard working, honest young woman. There should be no doubt in your minds that the testimony she gave regarding Lionel Luthor and his confessing to having his parents killed is true. And without doubt, you must find Lionel Luthor guilty.”
Michael’s words were elegant, powerful and simple, and by the time he was done, Chloe felt much more relaxed. Turning slightly she looked up at Lex to see if he would show any reaction.
Not to her surprise, he looked completely stoic, although the tension lines that tended to appear around the edges of his mouth had lessened slightly. Feeling only slightly relieved, she focused her attention back on the proceedings as Lindsey cleared his throat and approached the jury.
She tensed up immediately, shuddering at the picture Lionel’s lawyer began to paint, his voice strangely hypnotizing as he wove the strands of his arguments together.
“The prosecution’s entire case rests solely on the testimony of a 17-year old girl who has confessed to breaking the law. Several times. Ms. Sullivan admitted she planned to blackmail my client, an upstanding businessman. She would have you believe that she was infected with some sort of truth serum. But instead of making her tell the truth, like one would believe a truth serum does, it supposedly makes others tell the truth. Truth however seems irrelevant at times to Ms. Sullivan, who admitted to deliberately lying to her friends and family about her death. It’s a fanciful story, one that if used to find my client guilty could most certainly qualify Ms. Sullivan for an interview, perhaps a job at any newspaper, something she has admitted to wanting. Intelligent, law-abiding adults, such as yourselves, have to wonder if anything Ms. Sullivan has said is the truth. And if you do wonder, then that is reasonable doubt. If you have reasonable doubt, the prosecution did not do it’s job, and you must find my client, not guilty.”
Chloe bit her lip, admitting that Lindsey had valid points and had presented them in a compelling way. If she hadn’t been confident he was wrong, she might be tempted to believe him herself.
That scared her and she felt a tremor go through her body.
Lex felt her shiver and had to admit that if he had been prone to showing weakness, he might have done the same. They’d known from the start that Lionel’s lawyers would be the best of their kind and would go all out, as they had, to make sure they discredited Chloe.
So far, they’d done a pretty good job – and his father’s smug expression was not helping his nerves.
But he wasn’t counting them out just yet. Taking a deep breath, he leaned just slightly into Chloe’s side, allowing their shoulders to touch. He felt strangely comforted as she leaned lightly against him.
Chloe felt herself steady at the slight pressure of Lex’s shoulder against hers. It was very subtle, he might not even be aware of doing it, but she was grateful nonetheless.
Looking up at him, she noted he still sat tense and straight next to her, his face calm and collected. She could only imagine what he was feeling behind that mask. Despite the evil deeds his father had done, Lionel was still his father. And it could never be easy to watch the man who’d given you life be made out to be the devil, even if he might be.
She liked to think she’d gotten to know him better in the months she’d been forced to play dead. He had been the only one who knew where she was and once he’d left the hospital, he’d made sure to pay her safe house a visit whenever he could without blowing their cover, which was not that often. She knew it was risky, but she’d grown to welcome his visits, even if they only were to finalize information and the great plan he’d laid out to bring everything to fruition.
It frightened her a little at times in those visits, when she’d see the darkness that lurked in Lex. He would protect her to the end, but only because she had the means to help him bring down his father for good. She held no illusions on their relationship being anything more than convenience on his part and a need for help on hers. And she knew there were aspects to this plan she was better off not knowing. She chose not to question that, content for the moment to stay alive and focus on what needed to be done on her end.
Despite their rather formal meetings, they had talked a little, and she’d been surprised to find in Lex a dry sense of humor that she’d never realized he possessed. Not that the time they spent together had been filled with laughter, but she’d made him smile a few times and that had been worth it. And she always felt a little better, a little safer, when he left.
While she wouldn’t exactly call them friends, they were definitely more than the acquaintances and conspirators they’d spent most of last year being. She wasn’t sure if she was all that comfortable with the fact.
“The jury is dismissed to consider a verdict.”
The words and the sound of the gavel echoing through the court room brought her back to the present and to the knowledge that for better or worse, one of the worst parts of this ordeal was over. She felt her stomach twist however, at the thought of what was yet to come.
Lex watched as the bailiff led his father away in handcuffs, noting the man did not acknowledge him at all. He wasn’t sure if it was dread or relief that curdled in his stomach.
“You think we have a chance?”
Chloe’s soft voice startled him, and he mastered his expression as he turned to look at her.
“I hope so.”
There was nothing more to be said. The two sat in silence as the courtroom cleared out around them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Outside, masses of reporters flocked the courthouse steps. Word was out that the jury was in deliberations and every reporter knew they had to be ready at any moment for a verdict. This was for Metropolis, the trial of the decade and no one wanted to miss a moment.
Word had already leaked that an unexpected witness had taken the stand and all but handed the case to the prosecution. However, despite all the efforts to find out more, no one had uncovered the identity of the witness. It made for a tense situation all around as reporters could do nothing but speculate and wish cameras and reporters had been allowed in the courtroom.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SMALLVILLE
Jonathan Kent was surprised at the number of people gathered at the Talon. Though he knew the coffee house was popular, especially among the teens of Smallville, it had never been, at least to his knowledge, this full of people.
“I bet he gets off.”
“Yeah he probably bribed a few of the jurors.”
“I say the jury is deadlocked. And they have to declare a mistrial.”
Jonathan heard the various comments from those around him as he made his way to the counter where his son was sitting, talking to one of the football players. He spied his wife at a nearby table talking with a few of the patrons. Catching her gaze, he waved and felt his heart speed up as she gave him that sweet, familiar smile she saved only for him. It made his heart feel a little lighter each time he saw it and it was something he sorely needed today. Especially if the look on his son’s face was anything to go by as he approached and took a seat on the empty bar stool Clark pushed towards him.
It was only as he settled onto the stool that he noticed the two medium sized TV’s that graced either end of the bar, were turned on, both on MNN’s coverage of the Luthor trial. The TV’s were a recent addition to the Talon, despite Martha’s worries it would turn it into a sports bar. But some of the patron’s had been asking and after a consultation with Lex, Martha had decided to try several small sets to see how it went over. By the looks of things today, with crowds gathered around each set, it was working.
“We can’t switch the channel to something else?” He tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice, but he was thoroughly tired of hearing about the “Trial of the Decade.” His son’s words, however, tempered his thoughts.
“The jury finished deliberating. They’re reading the verdict within the hour.” Clark tried to keep the nervousness he felt from showing in his voice, but his father’s knowing expression told him he hadn’t succeeded.
Jonathan sighed, opting for sarcastic humor, feeling rather unsettled himself. “So everyone in town decided to gather here to see if the devil himself gets his due.”
Clark could only manage a nod as both father and son turned their attention back to the TV screens.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
METROPOLIS COURTROOM
Once more Chloe found herself seated next to a stoic Lex as they waited for the jury to return. It had been a long five hours, and many had been certain the jury would go another day if not longer.
But within the next half hour, it would finally be over, for better or worse.
She and Lex had spoken a few words to each other, but neither felt inclined to say much of anything. Surprisingly, Chloe found the silence comforting. Still, it allowed her far too much time to contemplate how Lex was handling things. She tried not to be too obvious as she watched him, his face expressionless as his gaze followed Michael and his counterpart whispering quietly while Lionel did the same with Lindsey.
For his part, Lex wasn’t sure how to feel and he could only be glad that Chloe seemed to sense this and was not pestering him to talk. He’d been worried she’d try to make him express what he was feeling, but strangely enough, she’d remained silent. And to his surprise, he found it not an awkward, but a comfortable silence.
They’d been through a lot together over the past year and he knew today’s outcome would have just as big an impact on her as it would him. Perhaps it was that shared sense of finality that put them in tune with each other, but regardless, he’d never admit it, but he was glad she was there.
“All rise.”
The words sent a chill down Chloe’s spine as the Judge entered the courtroom, even the jury going silent at his approach. When he had settled himself on the bench, the judge turned towards the middle-aged man standing in the front of the jury box.
“Has the jury reached a verdict?”
“Yes, your honor, it has.”
Without thinking, Chloe found herself reaching for Lex’s hand. The touch of his skin reassured her, as did the way his fingers curved into hers, holding on tightly. She suddenly felt as if she could handle anything as long as Lex’s hand was locked with hers.
Lex wasn’t sure what made him clasp Chloe’s hand in his own, considering Luthor’s never did something so childish as holding hands, especially with a girl who wasn’t even legal yet. But he wasn’t going to fight the feeling of comfort he felt as her fingers lightly squeezed his, or the knowledge that he had something to hold onto during one of the most important moments of his life.
He knew without a doubt he would never have made it here without the young woman sitting beside him.
Across the room, Lionel stared straight ahead. He had no clue which way things were going to go, but he was not going to show emotion however it went down. The last thing he would do would be to give Lex the satisfaction of seeing him affected in any way by the outcome.
However, as the Judge’s “What say you?” rang through the courtroom, he couldn’t help but slide his gaze over to where Lex sat, wearing a blank expression similar to the one on his face. They were so much more alike than either wanted to admit. With a small sigh, he focused forward as the jury foreman cleared his throat. Masking his expression, he waited for the blow.
“On the charge of second degree murder, we the jury find the defendant, Lionel Luthor, guilty as charged.”
The courtroom erupted into noise, completely oblivious to the judge’s pounding gavel and calls for order.
Lex closed his eyes for a moment, flashes of his father at the varying stages of his life confronting him with a clarity that hurt. All the hurts and angers of a child searching for his father’s love surfaced for a moment as he realized he’d put the final nail in his father’s coffin. He’d just sent his father to prison, perhaps for life. And even if Lionel deserved it, it was going to be something Lex would have to live with for his entire life.
Chloe closed her eyes, her heart resuming its beat after a moment. A sense of relief flooded her veins as she realized her nightmare was over. Lionel Luthor had been found guilty. They’d done it!
“Very well, sentencing will take place next week.”
Opening her eyes at the judge’s words, she took a deep breath, looking over to where a stoic looking Lionel was now conferring with Lindsey. She wished she could feel pity for the man, but couldn’t find it in herself to wish him anything but a long life in prison.
It was the son she was more worried about.
Turning her gaze to Lex, she noted had the same blank expression on his face, but his eyes were closed. Wondering what he was thinking, she lightly squeezed the hand he still held in his.
“Lex?”
His eyes opened and her breath caught at the wealth of emotion visible for a second in the blue depths. Her heart ached as she realized the reality of what they’d done had settled in. He’d sent his father to prison and there was no easy way, despite what Lionel deserved, to forgive himself. She knew this without him having to say a word.
His eyes were quickly masked and with an awkward move, he squeezed her hand before letting it go.
“I’m okay, Chloe.”
Lex wasn’t sure he meant the words, but for the moment, he wasn’t ready to look any deeper into his battered psyche. Rising to his feet, he watched as Lionel was led through the doors. Just before he disappeared, Lionel turned and looked directly back at him.
To his surprise, instead of hatred, he could almost swear he saw a look of pride in his father’s eyes. Their gaze was broken as Lionel was led away and Lex was positive he’d mistaken the look. It was only the soft touch of Chloe’s hand on his arm that made him remember where he was.
“You ready to finally get on with our lives?”
Chloe swallowed hard after her words, realization hitting her that they both were finally free. The guilt would linger and especially for Lex, she knew, it would not be so easy to go on, but she had every confidence he would. He was strong. He was a Luthor.
Lex saw the understanding in Chloe’s eyes, glad however that she chose not to acknowledge it. Words would only add something to the moment it did not need. Now was the time to pick up the pieces of his life, of Chloe’s life and get them back into the world.
“I’m ready. Are you ready to reintroduce yourself to the world?”
He watched her carefully, knowing her road would not be any easier. There would be lots of questions, most likely guilt from her friends in Smallville over being kept in the dark. His own confrontation with Clark over Chloe’s “death” still haunted him and he knew things would not ever be the same again.
But as he looked down into Chloe’s eyes, filled with concern for his well being, he realized that if nothing else, he’d gained an ally out of this entire mess. And in his weaker moments, he might even be pressed to say he’d gained a friend.
“Let’s go.” Chloe smiled as Lex fell into step behind her, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back. Making their way to the doors, they finally reached the courthouse exit. Chloe swallowed as she noted the horde of media clogging the path to Lex’s limo.
“Come on, you want to be one of these people someday, don’t you?”
Lex’s words and the irony behind them gave her the courage to move. Taking a deep breath, feeling his hand steady at her back, she pushed open the doors and stepped out into the world.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SMALLVILLE
Back at the Talon the cheering had finally settled down upon the announcement of the verdict. Clark wasn’t sure if he believed it, but from the reaction around him, it was over.
“I knew that jury would find him guilty, unexpected witness or not!”
“He deserved it for killing his parents!”
“Now if only they could do something about the son.”
Clark frowned at the last snippet of conversation overheard, turning back as he felt his mother’s hand on his arm. His mind turned immediately to what Chloe would say if she were here and a bittersweet feeling flooded his body. Despite it all, the bastard had finally gotten his due. He only wished his best friend could have seen it.
“It’s over, Clark. He can’t hurt anyone, ever again.”
Lana, who had been watching with them as well, moved to Clark’s other side, her voice soft but strong. “She’s happy, Clark. She’s looking down and laughing to see Lionel get what he deserves.”
Clark swallowed hard. “If only,” he began turning his attention back to the TV, unwilling to let his family or Lana see the tears in his eyes. His mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him as he took in the pictures now filling the screen of the two people walking through the hoard of reporters outside the courtroom.
“Chloe?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
End of Episode 1
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