Title: Sins Of The Father

Author: Lex&Clark4ever
Disclaimer: Not mine.  Just borrowing them from the WB.  I promise to return them afterwards, clean and in good shape.  The only characters I own are Catherine and Vince.

For the ClexFest at http://kardasi.com/Lexclusive/ClexFest

Pairings: Clark/Lex, Lionel/Martha (implied), Lionel/f.

Spoilers:  Everything up to date just to be safe.

Feedback:  Appreciated since this is my first attempt at fanfic.   scully2001ca@yahoo.ca

Summary:  What if the reason Jonathan hates Lionel so much is because he’s Martha’s ex (or he forced/raped Martha) and the reason she couldn’t have kids is because he forced her to have an abortion when she became pregnant and something went wrong.  (hergerbabe).

Archived at: http://kardasi.com/Lexclusive/ClexFest.  Anywhere else please ask first.

Notes:  I fooled around a bit with the timing of incidents, such as making Lionel being rich and powerful early on.  Timing is also probably off regarding the ages of Jonathan, Martha and Lionel.

Date: November 2002

Rating:  R.

Category:  Drama, Angst, and Established Relationship.

Beta: Extra special thanks to my beta Reetchick, for her patience and reassurance.

SINS OF THE FATHER

The sun was just beginning to set as Clark lay in the hammock, watching the beautiful colors paint the sky with brilliant strokes.  He was reading a book for English class.  When the teacher had handed out the books, both Chloe and Pete had grumbled that it would take ages to finish reading it, let alone write a report about it.  Clark had smiled to himself.  It was at times like this that being able to literally speed-read came in handy.

The sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs to the loft reached his ears, and he started turning the pages at a normal speed.

“Hi, Clark,” Lex said as he entered the loft.  Clark smiled as he sat down beside him.  They had been lovers for several months now.  Clark thought that others knew about them, but no one had said anything yet.  He and Lex were planning to come out as a couple once Clark had reached his eighteenth birthday.  Sometimes he worried about how his father would react once he learned about the two of them, as Jonathan had never made any secret about his hatred for the Luthors.  To him, any Luthor was an enemy both of the town and its population.  That Luthors cared for nothing but profit and power.  People were just pawns to be sacrificed.  Jonathan knew he wasn’t alone in his beliefs.  Several people had lost their jobs and their homes because they made the mistake of trusting Lionel Luthor.

Clark wished he could make his father understand that Lex was nothing like Lionel, who destroyed lives without even blinking.  Lex had been groomed from early childhood to take over LuthorCorp, the empire Lionel had built.  He had never shown any real affection for his only son, and that had hurt Lex deeply in ways that Clark was trying to heal by showing Lex that he was worthy of love.  Lex was fighting hard against becoming his father.  A lot of the townspeople seemed to feel as Jonathan did, that Lex was just as heartless as his father.

Clark leaned in close to Lex, gently brushing his lips against Lex’s.  The scarred lips parted in welcome.  Tongues slid silkily against each other as they explored each other’s mouths.  Hands began to move, caressing.  “I love you, Lex,” Clark whispered.  “I love you too,” Lex murmured in reply as their desire intensified.

Neither of them heard Jonathan enter the barn. 

Jonathan started to head up the stairs leading to the loft, his son’s “Fortress of Solitude.”  He needed Clark to help him repair the tractor, which had just broken down again.  Clark had mentioned several times that they should just get a new tractor, but Jonathan believed it would be a waste of money when the old one could still be repaired.

The soft moans coming from the loft froze him in his tracks.  Trying not to let himself be heard, he peeked up the stairs.  Clark and Lex were entwined in each other’s arms, passionately kissing, their bodies moving together.

Jonathan felt a growing anger and quickly but quietly went back down the stairs.  The boys gave no indication that they had heard him as the sounds continued.

He left the barn, furious now.  Hadn’t Clark ever listened to him?  He’d told his son time and again that Luthors could not be trusted.  Clark persisted that Lex wasn’t like his father, that it wasn’t right to blame him for Lionel’s actions.  Jonathan had had his suspicions that there was more to Clark’s relationship with Lex that just friendship.  Having proof that there was only made him fear for Clark, not only for his son’s physical safety, but his emotions as well.  He wasn’t terribly angry that Clark was with another man, but the man being a Luthor…

He hoped Clark was right that Lex was nothing like his father.  Because if he was, if he hurt Clark in any way…then God help him.

Martha caught sight of her husband stomping across the yard towards the farmhouse.  Even at this distance she could tell that he was furious.  She wondered what had happened.  Jonathan was for the most part even-tempered, but he could be very stubborn and prideful. 

Something’s really wrong, she thought as he opened the kitchen door.  “What is it?” she asked.  He turned to look at her.

“I went to ask Clark if he could come help me repair the tractor, and he was…with Lex.  They were kissing.”

Martha hardly blinked at Jonathan’s comment.  She had suspected that her son was in love with Lex for a while now.  He always looked so happy when Lex was around, when he talked about him.  It made her happy to see Clark like that, instead of moping around.  Adolescence was a difficult time even for a normal teenager, and more so for Clark who had to hide his abilities and true origin from the world.

“Jonathan…” she started to say, but he interrupted her.

“It’s not that it’s another man,” he said, “but that it’s a Luthor.  What if Lex hurts Clark somehow?”

“He wouldn’t,” Martha replied.  “I know Lex feels the same way about Clark.  He’d do anything for him.”

“I don’t know,”  Jonathan seemed to hesitate.  “After what Lionel’s done to this town, the people he’s hurt…like you.”

Martha felt tears come to her eyes.  “I know,” she whispered.

Jonathan crossed the kitchen and gathered his wife in his arms.  “I’m sorry,” he replied softly.  “I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”

She sighed against his chest.  “I know you didn’t.  But Lionel wasn’t always like the way he is now.  He’s changed from what he was.”

Jonathan nodded.  He knew that Martha had dated Lionel for a while in college before he had met her. 

“I love you,” he told her.  “I love you, too,” she murmured gently.  It was the truth.  She loved her husband with all her heart.  Her relationship with Lionel, the breakup, what he had done to her – all of it was in the past.  Jonathan was her future, her love. 

Martha snuggled in closer to Jonathan, and remembered….

Metropolis College, 23 years ago.

Martha Clark hurried across the campus on her way to Business class.  She loved being on her own, independent.  Her family lived nearby and she visited them often but it felt good to be finally living her own life, making her own decisions.

She entered the building and headed towards her classroom.  “Hi, Martha,” Catherine Andrews called out to her.  Catherine lived in the same dorm as Martha, just two doors down.  “Hi,” Martha replied, smiling warmly at her friend.

Catherine fell into step beside Martha.  “Remember today we have a guest speaker in class?”  Martha nodded.  Catherine could hardly contain her excitement.  “Just think, in a few minutes, Lionel Luthor will be addressing our class!”  Martha had to suppress another smile at how her friend was so impressed with people that had wealth.  It was common knowledge that Lionel had single-handedly built LuthorCorp, although there were rumors that shady deals had been involved.

“I wonder if he’s seeing anyone,” Catherine continued as the two found seats in the classroom.  “I don’t know if he is,” Martha replied, taking out her notebooks.  Catherine leaned in and whispered, “Wouldn’t you be interested?  I think he’s hot looking, and being extremely rich doesn’t hurt either!”

Martha shrugged.  “It doesn’t matter to me if he’s rich or not,” she replied.  “It’s who a man really is that matters to me.”

Before Catherine could respond, the professor strode out to the podium and motioned for attention.  The gathered students eventually quieted.

“As you all know,” the professor announced, “today we have a guest speaker.  Please give a warm welcome to Mr. Lionel Luthor.”

Polite applause as a man dressed in a very expensive suit walked out.  The aura of power and confidence he exuded was almost palpable.  Martha felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at him.  His bearing and determined expression commanded attention.  She found herself admiring him.  I wonder what it’d be like to touch him, to kiss him, Martha thought and was surprised at herself.  She’d never even met the man, had only seen him in photos. 

Lionel stood at the podium, looking out at the students.  His attention flickered briefly over everyone until his gaze rested on Martha. 

“He’s looking at you!” Catherine whispered.

Martha barely heard her friend.  Lionel was smiling at her.  She shyly smiled back. 

Lionel couldn’t take his eyes off the beautiful young woman seated in the fifth row.  He was fascinated by her smile, by the warmth that radiated from her.  Belatedly, he realized he was staring, and was surprised at himself.  He had a speech to give.  Luthors aren’t emotional.  Business always comes first. 

He began to speak, his attention frequently wandering back to Martha.  After this class was over, he was definitely going to get to know this woman.

During the speech, he kept glancing at Martha, who smiled shyly every time their eyes met. 

Applause filled the classroom when the speech concluded.  Lionel left the podium accompanied by the tall dark-haired man who had stood nearby him since his arrival.  Martha assumed the man was Lionel’s bodyguard.

She gathered up her books.  Catherine nudged her.  “I can’t believe it!” she said excitedly.  “Martha, he was looking at you like he wants to ask you out!  The most eligible bachelor in Metropolis couldn’t take his eyes off you.  Lucky girl.”

Martha blushed. 

The two joined the throng of students heading for the exit. 

“I’ll see you later, okay?” Martha called out to Catherine who nodded and headed off to her next class.

Martha walked down the hall.  She was still thinking about Lionel Luthor.  She couldn’t ever remember having such a reaction to a complete stranger before. 

Sunlight momentarily blinded her as she stepped outside.  Reflexively, she lifted her hand to shield her eyes, until she reached the shade of the tree-lined walkway outside the building.

The first thing she saw was the stretch limo parked nearby, Lionel leaning against it with an air of elegant casualness, smiling at her.  The bodyguard stood a discreet distance away.

Martha felt her heart jump in response as he left the limo and walked over to her. 

“Hello,” he said.  “I’m Lionel Luthor.”  He held out his hand. 

“Martha Clark,” she responded as he grasped her hand and held it.  The moment seemed to last for an eternity as they looked at each other.

Lionel was surprised again at his emotions.  No woman had ever had this effect on him before.  He felt happy, almost giddy just to look at her; and these were feelings that he couldn’t ever remember having for anyone.  Before, women had not meant anything to him.  He took them out for nights on the town and then back to his penthouse to bed.  He was glad when they left the next morning.  They were only interested in his vast fortune and power, never him.  Not a single woman showed even the slightest hint of warmth, only cold mercenary-like expressions as they tried to lure him into marriage.  Wanting only to get their expensively manicured hands into his bank account and to have the power that came with the Luthor name.  So easy to manipulate, as so many people are.  People are weak, and it takes strong leaders to control matters, to shape human history.

Those were the lessons he’d been taught throughout his life.

This woman was different.  He could see strength and independence in her eyes, qualities that set her apart from anyone else he knew, and this attracted him.  She could be his equal.  He could, in time, lay the world at her feet.

Martha thought that Lionel was even more attractive then when she’d first seen him.  She’d heard the rumors about his personal life, that he manipulated people to do anything he wanted.  Without question.  From the way he was looking at her, as if she was the most precious thing on earth; manipulation was the furthest thing from his mind.

He eventually released her hand and stepped back, still smiling. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Luthor,” Martha finally managed to say, trying hard to repress her blushing.  She always blushed so easily.

“Please call me Lionel,” he said.  “And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, Miss Clark.”

“Please call me Martha,” she replied.  There was a pause and both of them laughed.

“Lionel,” Martha began, uncertain of what to say.  “I noticed you were looking at me during your speech today…”

“Yes, I was.  It’s a rarity to see someone with such beauty and obvious intelligence these days.  Did my looking at you bother you in any way?”

“No, I liked it,” Martha confessed. 

“Good.”  Lionel was pleased that she seemed to genuinely like him.  He paused for a moment.  “Martha, would you join me for dinner sometime?  I’d like to get to know you better.”  He was amused that he was actually requesting a woman’s companionship, instead of ordering it.  The difference caused him to wonder what was happening to him. 

“I’d like that,” Martha replied.  She was flattered that Metropolis’s Most Eligible Bachelor was asking her for a date.  It was like those fairy tales she loved as a child where Prince Charming falls in love with the heroine and sweeps her off to live happily ever after in his castle. 

“May I have your phone number?”  Lionel requested.  Martha tore a piece of paper from her notebook and scribbled her phone number on it. 

“Thank you,” he said as he gently took the paper she offered.  The sight of Lionel Luthor holding a piece of notepaper like it was the most expensive stationery ever made Martha smile.

“I’ll be in touch soon,” Lionel said as he turned and headed back to his limo.  The man waiting nearby moved from where he’d been standing.  The bodyguard opened the door, and Lionel got in.  After closing the door, he stopped and headed around to the other door where he got in.

Martha hugged her books to her chest as she watched the limo pull away.  Lionel Luthor just asked me out on a date. He wants to get to know me better!   She headed off to her next class, feeling like she was walking on air. 

Lionel phoned her that evening and made arrangements to pick her up outside her dorm room the following Saturday. 

When Saturday evening arrived, Martha was nervous.  Lionel had told her that he’d be taking her to the finest restaurant in Metropolis, she’d searched through her entire closet for something appropriate to wear.  She’d finally selected a dress that she hoped wouldn’t make her look plain next to the expensive gowns that the wealthy socialites wore.

Catherine had helped her with the dress choice, practically jumping up and down that her friend was going out with Lionel Luthor.  Martha had the feeling that almost the entire university knew she had a date with the CEO of LuthorCorp.  Girls in the hallway of her dorm stared at her, most of them with envy. 

Martha waited outside her dorm.  Fortunately, most other students were on their way to their own Saturday night dates, so there weren’t too many of them around to stare as the long black limo pulled up to the curb.

And so began what Martha knew would be one of the most significant nights of her life. 

She was surprised at how quickly their relationship grew.  It seemed that time flew by.  Soon it was six months that she’d been dating Lionel.  The media and the social gossip had already dubbed her “the future Mrs. Luthor”.  Lionel had not proposed yet, although the thought was very much on his mind.  Martha was so warm and caring, so genuine.  Completely unlike any woman he’d ever met.  He’d never really cared for anyone before, and the feelings Martha stirred in him were a complete source of amazement.

Love is a useless emotion, his father had said, a sign of weakness.  Weak people deserve whatever happens to them, because they let their emotions rule them.  Never let your emotions get in the way, son.  You’ll regret it.

In the past, Lionel had taken this advice, never allowing his emotions to get in the way.  Martha had changed something in him, and he began to think that his father had been very wrong about one thing.  Love is a sign of strength, Lionel thought. 

The night Lionel told her he loved her was one of the best of Martha’s life.  She had smiled happily, and stepped forward into his embrace.  Martha looked deep into his eyes and told him that she loved him too.  He leaned down and kissed her, gently at first then with growing hunger.  Lifting her into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom.

************************************************************************

Something was wrong.

Martha hadn’t been feeling well for several days.  The other day, she’d actually fallen asleep in two of her classes, and had to rush out of another one in a hurry to reach the nearest ladies room.  When she reached one, she barely made it to the toilet before she threw up.  Eventually she managed to drag herself over to the sink and splashed water on her face.  If she’d didn’t feel better soon, she promised herself to make an appointment to see a doctor.

Lionel had been concerned when Martha told him she’d hadn’t been feeling well, and made an appointment for her to see his personal physician, Dr. Fraser.

The examination didn’t take long.  Dr. Fraser’s nurse drew a blood sample from Martha’s arm, and after a few questions, the doctor told Martha that they’d have the results in a few hours.  Normally test results took a few days, but for the girlfriend of Lionel Luthor, exceptions were made.

After leaving the doctor’s office, Lionel gently kissed Martha and told her to get some rest.  The limo took her back to her dorm, and she headed back to her room.

The telephone’s shrill ring woke her from a sound sleep.  Martha rubbed her eyes and picked up the receiver.  “Hello?”

“Miss Clark? This is Dr. Fraser.  I have your test results back.”

Martha trembled for a moment.  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

She heard him chuckle.  “Nothing’s wrong, Miss Clark.  You’re pregnant.”

Martha’s heart skipped a beat.  She was going to have a baby!  All her life she had loved children and looked forward to the day she had her own.  “I’m really pregnant?  You’re sure?”

“Yes, you’re about five weeks along.”

Martha barely heard the rest of the doctor’s comments on sending her test results over to her own doctor and about pre-natal care.   After the call ended and she hung up the phone, she gently ran her hand over her still-flat abdomen.  A baby.  A child was growing inside her.  It was everything she had ever wanted. 

A child of her own.  Lionel’s as well, she corrected herself.  She thought about his reaction to the news.  Would he be happy about the baby?  Martha remembered conversations with him when he mentioned about how much it would mean to him to have a son, someone to carry on his name and eventually inherit LuthorCorp.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.  She got up and opened the door.  Lionel stood there, a big smile on his face.  He pulled her into his embrace.  She hugged him tightly, smiling in return.

“We’re going to have a baby,” she murmured softly as she looked up at him.  He was clearly happy about it.

“Yes,” he replied, stroking the side of her face.  “And it’s the best news I’ve ever received.  There was something I intended to ask you before, and this is the moment for it.”

“What is it?” Martha asked.

Lionel smiled softly as he said, “Will you marry me?”

Martha gasped softly at the proposal before hugging him even closer.  “Yes,” she replied.  “I’ll marry you.”

Lionel leaned in close and kissed her, joy flooding through him.

The weeks seemed to pass in a blur as the wedding preparations began.  Family and friends were told.  Martha’s family was happy for her, particularly her father.  He had thought all of Martha’s previous boyfriends weren’t good enough for her and was pleased that she’d finally found a man who was, in his opinion, worthy of his little girl.

Lionel hired the best wedding planner in the world.  He and Martha spent hours discussing the decorations, the wedding cake, and the guest list.  All of Martha and Lionel’s family were expected to arrive for the ceremony.  Her friend Catherine was to be a bridesmaid.  Lionel had few real friends, but had decided to invite a lot of his business associates.

One night during dinner, Lionel presented Martha with the engagement ring that he’d had custom-made for her.

Martha glanced down at her left hand, where the beautiful diamond and gold ring sparkled.  When Catherine had first seen the ring, she’d gasped and murmured about how Martha was the luckiest girl in the world.

Martha continued with her daily routine at the college.  She still went to her classes and lived in the dorm.  In a few months she’d be moving in with Lionel at his penthouse. 

Lionel had insisted that she not interrupt her education.  Two of her professors had given her the responsibility of being the class note-taker.

Since the wedding planner was handling most of the details, Martha had more free time.

Both Lionel and Dr. Fraser had told her that she should rest and not overexert herself.

Lionel sat in his office, hard at work completing a deal that would consolidate LuthorCorp holdings in Europe. 

He finished signing the last of the papers with a flourish and handed them back to one of his lawyers, who placed them in his briefcase and stood up.  Lionel made a dismissive wave with his hand and the man left the office. 

Now alone, Lionel got up from the chair and walked over to the large windows, looking out over the city of Metropolis.  He was happier than he’d ever been in his life.  I’m getting married to the most wonderful woman in the world.  Everything is perfect.  Business is great…  He smiled to himself at that thought.  Love before business.  Generations of Luthors must be spinning in their graves.

The intercom on his desk gave a discreet beep.  He crossed the room to his desk and pressed the button.  “Yes?”

“There’s a Miss Catherine Andrews here to see you, Mr. Luthor,” his secretary’s voice informed him over the intercom speaker.

“Send her in.”  Lionel wondered why Martha’s friend had come to see him.  If she had a question about the ceremony, she should have contacted the wedding planner.

The door opened, and Catherine entered the room. 

“Hello, Catherine,” Lionel said as he gestured for her to take a seat.  She sat down in one of the leather chairs, looking at him intently.  He found himself staring at her.  Catherine was wearing a short dress that clung to her body.  “What can I do for you?”  A thought struck him.  “Is something wrong?  Is Martha all right?”

“Martha’s fine,” she replied with a slow smile.  “Actually, I came to see you.”  Catherine stood up and moved towards him. 

“Really,” Lionel commented dryly.  “See me about what?” 

“I had a question,” Catherine said.  She was standing on the other side of his desk now, close enough to touch. 

“I see,” Lionel replied.  “For this question you couldn’t ask Martha?  You had to come all the way into downtown Metropolis to see me?  I’m a very busy man.”

Catherine moved around the desk until she was right in front of him.  Lionel looked into her eyes, recognizing the gleam in them.  It was the same gleam as the other women he’d known who only wanted his money.  Not like Martha.

Martha.  He loved her.  She was the only one for him.  The woman who owned his heart and soul.

His body had other ideas, reacting to Catherine’s proximity. 

“What was the question?”  Lionel asked brusquely, trying to repress his growing desire.

Catherine seemed to almost purr when she asked, “Why Martha?  What’s so special about her?  You could have had any woman you wanted, yet you chose her.”  A sneer appeared on her face.    “She’s so wholesome and kind.  Not your type at all.”

Lionel smirked.  “What makes you such an expert on what kind of woman is my type?  In case you didn’t notice I asked Martha out, not you.  I saw you sitting next to her that day in class.  You didn’t attract me then, and you don’t now.”

“Don’t I?”  Catherine whispered, sliding her hands up across his chest as she pressed against him.  She glanced down at the evidence of his arousal, then with an amused expression looked back up at him.  “I think you do find me attractive, Mr. Luthor.”

She pressed her lips against Lionel’s and her tongue began to explore his mouth.

All thoughts of Martha vanished from Lionel’s mind as his desire overwhelmed him.  He kissed Catherine with a growing hunger, lifting her and placing her hard on the desk.  She responded by reaching up and unbuttoning his shirt. 

Martha stepped out of the limo outside the LuthorCorp building.  She smiled to herself as she walked through the lobby and towards the elevator.  One of her afternoon classes had been cancelled due to a professor’s illness, so she had decided to go see Lionel.  He was always happy to see her, and insisted that she wasn’t interrupting anything when she visited the office during the day. 

She rode the elevator up to the top floor of the building where Lionel’s office was located.  The expensive carpet muted her footsteps as she walked down the corridor.

Martha caught sight of Lionel’s secretary who was busily typing something at her desk. 

“Hi, Julie,” Martha said warmly.  “Is Lionel busy?  I had some free time and I thought I’d come down to see him.”

Julie looked up from the computer.  “Hi, Martha.  I don’t think he’s busy.  Your friend Catherine’s in there talking to him.”

Martha was confused.  “Why would she be here?”

“She told me she had an important question that she needed to ask him.  That’s all I know,” Julie replied.

“Thanks, Julie.”  Martha was really puzzled now.  If it’s a question about the wedding, why didn’t she ask me?  Or the wedding planner?  Why come here?

She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it, opening the door.  Martha froze in her tracks at the sight in front of her, feeling her heart break into a million pieces.

Clothing was scattered everywhere.  She stared in horror at Lionel and Catherine, naked and having sex on Lionel’s desk.  Seemingly oblivious to her presence, they continued moaning and thrusting against each other.  Lionel’s mouth was pressed into Catherine’s throat, sucking hungrily. 

Martha gasped in shock.  Catherine opened her eyes and looked at her, a self-satisfied smirk on her face.  She nudged Lionel, gently whispering, “Lionel…we have company.”

Lionel lifted his head and the expression on his face quickly turned from lust to shock.  Martha was standing there, tears running down her cheeks.  No!  he thought.  Quickly, he withdrew from Catherine’s body.  He didn’t know what to say, hating himself for the pain he could see on his fiancée’s face.  Catherine didn’t mean anything to him, it was just sex.  Nothing to do with the love he felt for Martha.  With her, it was making love. 

There was a definite distinction between the two.

“Martha…I can explain,” Lionel began, quickly reaching for his discarded clothing.

 “I thought you loved me,” she managed to say, her voice catching with emotion.

Lionel paled.  “I do love you, I always will.  Catherine doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“That’s not what it looks like to me!” Martha cried.  Before Lionel could react she pulled the engagement ring off her finger and placed it on the corner of the desk.  She turned on her heel and forced herself to calmly leave the office.  Once she reached the corridor, she began to run. 

 Behind her, she heard Lionel swear.  Martha raced down the corridor.  Employees stared in curiosity as she ran past them.  She reached the elevator and hit the button. 

Lionel couldn’t believe what was happening.  This was a nightmare, had to be.  He quickly began to dress.  I won’t lose Martha, I can’t!    His attention fell on Catherine, who had been watching everything with a smirk.  Suddenly the sight of her filled Lionel with disgust, both for her and himself.  “Get out of my office,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

The expression of hatred on his face caused Catherine to swallow quickly with fear.  She grabbed her own clothes and dressed without saying a word.

Lionel burst out of his office, his clothing rumpled.  “Martha!” he shouted.  Seeing her by the elevator, he began to run toward her.

The elevator arrived, and Martha flung herself through the doors.  She slammed her hand down on the “door close” button.   Lionel was almost to the elevator when the doors closed and the elevator descended.  Faintly, she heard him swear again. 

Martha leaned against the wall, and began to cry once she was alone.  When the doors opened, she ran as fast as she could through the lobby and out of the building. 

The pedestrians on the busy street barely gave any notice as she hurried past, trying in vain to stop the tears running down on her face.

Lionel betrayed me.  He told me he loved me, but it didn’t stop him from having sex with Catherine, who was my friend.  I meant nothing to him.  He probably just proposed because of the baby.  I loved him, so much.  How could he have done this?  Her thoughts were in turmoil.

Still wiping at her face, she turned the corner. 

She didn’t notice the tall broad-shouldered man standing outside a diner, staring after her as she moved past.  He ran a hand through his blond hair, wondering what had happened to make such a beautiful woman look so miserable.

Jonathan Kent watched her until she disappeared around the corner and out of his sight.

Martha felt as though she’d been walking forever.  She was on automatic pilot, unable to think, only feel.

She decided to head for Metropolis Park, a place she liked to go when she needed to think about her problems.  Finding a vacant bench, she slumped down on it.  Her tears had finally stopped flowing and she felt only misery.  Catherine had stolen Lionel, and now Martha was alone.

Not entirely alone, she realized as she pressed one hand against her stomach.  She still had their child.  A part of Lionel that could never be taken away.

“Where is she?  Just find her!” Lionel shouted into the phone just before slamming the receiver down.  He was desperate to find Martha.  No one had seen her since she’d left his office.  Catherine had been escorted by security out of the LuthorCorp building.

I’ll deal with her later, he thought.  Right now he needed to find Martha and try to put things right again.  He prayed that she would forgive him for making such a stupid mistake.  Luthors don’t make mistakes, his father had once told him.  Now Lionel just had made the biggest mistake of his life.

He’d already phoned the dorm.  She hadn’t returned there.  Other phone calls didn’t yield any information.  Then a thought occurred to him.

Metropolis Park, he realized, remembering what she’d told him about going there when she was upset.

Lionel quickly pressed the button on the intercom.  When his secretary answered, he snapped, “Cancel the rest of my appointments and get me the limo!”

Martha sat on the bench, not noticing the view.  She didn’t know what to do about what she’d seen in Lionel’s office.  The memory caused fresh tears to threaten coming and she’d run out of tissue. 

Should I try to work things out with Lionel?  Try to raise the baby by myself?  Was  Lionel was telling the truth about Catherine not meaning anything to him?  Was he lying?

The screeching halt of the limo interrupted her thoughts. 

The door opened and Lionel stepped out.  She could clearly see the anguish in his face as he started towards her.

“Martha…” he began,  “I’m so sorry.  I never meant to hurt you.”   The miserable expression on his face caught at her heart.  She knew few people, if any, had ever seen Lionel in such a vulnerable state.

He sat down on the bench next to her and tried to take her hand.  Martha moved away from him before he could touch her.

“Why?” she whispered.  “Why did you do it?”

“I don’t know,” Lionel sighed.  “She came on to me.  I didn’t want to, it happened so fast that I hardly knew what was happening.  It didn’t mean anything, I swear.  I certainly didn’t plan it.  I have no reason for what I did and certainly no excuse.”

Martha smiled humorlessly.  “You seemed to be a willing participant, Lionel.  It didn’t look like Catherine was forcing you.  Why blame just her?   I don’t think you even put up much of a fight.”

 Lionel winced at the truth of her words.  He reached for her hand and grasped it.  “I love you, Martha.  Could you give me another chance?”

She gently tugged her hand free.  “I do love you, but I need time to sort through this.  You can’t just expect me to forget about what you did right away.”

“I know,” he said quietly.  “Take all the time you need.  I just don’t want to lose you.  Or our baby.”

 Martha got to her feet.  “I think I’ll head back to the dorm now.  I just want to be alone for a while.”

“All right,” he said as he stood.  He escorted her back to the limo.  They rode back in silence.

The limo pulled into the parking lot.  As she reached for the door handle, he lightly touched her shoulder.  “Could I call you?” he asked.

Martha slowly shook her head.  “Not for a while,” she told him.  “I need some time to myself.”

Lionel managed to nod even though he felt like his heart was breaking.  “Call me if you need anything.”  Martha nodded in reply and got out of the limo.

He watched her enter the building, more miserable than he’d been in his entire life.  It was all his fault.  One stupid mistake may have cost him everything that mattered.

The following weeks seemed to go by slowly for Martha.  The rumors were all over the college about what happened between her and Lionel.  She knew some people thought that she was overreacting, and some believed that the proposal had just been because of the pregnancy.  Lionel  kept his promise to not contact her, and she spent her time going to class and trying to figure out if there was a future for them.  Could she ever trust him again?  Catherine never returned to the college, and Martha didn’t ask why.  At the bookstore, she’d overheard a few students mentioning that her former friend had been kicked out of school.  Martha had hurried past, not wanting to hear any more.  She didn’t care what had happened.

Lionel tried to keep from thinking about Martha and failed.  The demands of running LuthorCorp weren’t enough to distract him.  It had been such a simple matter to deal with Catherine; a couple of phone calls to some associates of his, and he’d easily gotten hold of her parents’ mortgage and foreclosed on the house, not to mention destroying their credit rating.  It had not been difficult to have her scholarship revoked because of carefully planted evidence that she’d cheated on several exams.  Even easier, and something Lionel found a dark amusement in, was having Catherine arrested, charged with prostitution and possession of drugs.  A prison sentence and a criminal record would ensure that Catherine never be able to have anything she wanted, ever again.

Martha sat down at a desk in her finance class and began to pull out her books.  She was the note-taker for the class, which was a big responsibility, and it helped distract her from thinking about Lionel.  She still hadn’t called him. 

While waiting for the professor to arrive, she glanced around the classroom.  Students were still arriving.  Her attention fell on a blond man who was sitting a couple of rows away from her.  She allowed herself a moment to look at him and smiled to herself for the first time in what seemed ages. He’s cute, she thought. 

This man was attractive in a far different way than Lionel.  More down-to-earth, more casual with such a friendly demeanor.  She couldn’t believe she was comparing a total stranger to her fiancé, or should that be ex–fiancé?  She hadn’t decided one way or the other, although she knew that she would soon have to.

The man caught her looking at him and smiled at her.  Martha felt her heart skip a beat. 

She liked how his smile was so open and honest.  Lionel’s smiles were more guarded and it seemed that his only genuine smiles had been while he was with her.

She was forced to turn away as the professor arrived and began the lecture.  She diligently took notes and whenever she could, she turned to look at the cute guy.  There’s no harm in looking, is there?  Lionel didn’t think there was any harm in touching, did he? She knew he wouldn’t like it if she flirted with another man.  Maybe this would teach Lionel a lesson, a way to hurt him in some small measure for cheating on her.

After class, I’ll go talk to this guy, Martha decided.  She’d pretend that she needed to borrow his notes.  She hoped he didn’t know that she was the class note-taker.  She’d go talk to this guy, and then ask him if he wanted to go out for a coffee.  For some reason, she felt as though she could trust him. 

When the class ended, she looked for the guy but he was nowhere to be found.  Martha headed out into the courtyard, and found him sitting on a bench. 

Taking a deep breath, she walked over to him.

“Hi,” she said.  “Hello,” he responded. 

He was even cuter up close.  Suddenly, Lionel was suddenly the furthest thing from her mind. 

“I’m Martha Clark.  I was in the finance class with you,” she offered, holding out her hand.  He gently took her hand and gave it a quick shake.

“Jonathan Kent.  It’s nice to meet you,” he responded with a smile.

Martha realized she was staring at him.  Say something, she reminded herself.  Try to talk to him.  Flirt with him.  Make Lionel suffer, even a little.

She cleared her throat nervously.  “I was wondering,” she asked, “if I could borrow your notes?  Mine are such a mess.”

“Sure,” he replied, calmly handing them to her.  Martha was surprised at how he didn’t even hesitate.

“How do you know I’ll return them?” she managed to ask.

Jonathan looked at her.  “I prefer to believe in people’s best,” he said.

Martha stood there, holding the notes in her hand.  The strangest thing had just gone through her mind.  God, she thought, I hope he marries me! 

Before she could say anything, he stood up.  “Would you like to go get a cup of coffee?” he asked.

“Yes, I’d love to,” she replied.  Together, they walked down the length of the courtyard.

Jonathan suggested that they go to Popeye’s, a diner not far from campus.  The place was crowded, but they managed to find an empty booth.  They placed their orders, and the waitress brought them two cups of coffee.

Martha slowly sipped at hers, savoring the taste.  She loved coffee, but since it wasn’t good for the baby she allowed herself to have only one cup a day.

Jonathan found himself gazing at her, having never seen anyone so pretty before.  He’d recognized her even before she’d spoken to him after class.  Newspapers were always running stories about LuthorCorp, and several of these articles featured photographs of Lionel with his fiancée.  He glanced down at her left hand.  The engagement ring, which according to one news story had cost a fortune, was gone.  Jonathan wondered what had happened, remembering the first time he’d seen her in tears running out of the LuthorCorp building.

They talked for a long time.  Martha learned that Jonathan was taking several finance and business courses at the college to help him in running his family’s farm in a town called Smallville.  He described the town to her, and she thought from his description that it seemed like a place taken from a Norman Rockwell painting.  She told him about growing up in Metropolis.  He was so easy to talk to that she was surprised.

The waitress came back to their table asking if they wanted refills on their coffee.  Martha declined, but Jonathan accepted.  “Trying to cut down?” he teased after the waitress had gone.

“No,” Martha explained.  “It’s not good for me…for the baby.”  She looked down at the table.  “I’m pregnant.”  She glanced up at him.  His expression was one of gentle understanding.

“You seem pretty happy about it,” he said.

Martha nodded.  “I am,” she replied.  “I love children.  I always dreamed of having my own.”

“I know what you mean,” Jonathan replied.  “I would love to have children someday myself.  It’d be great to have them running around the farm.”

“Haven’t met the right woman yet?” she teased.

Jonathan’s eyes met hers.  “Yes, I think I have.  I’ve just met her, but I’m sure that she’s the only one for me.”

Martha could not repress a blush.  Me?  Her heart pounded.

“Who is she?” she finally managed to ask.

“I’m looking at her,” he replied with a smile. 

Martha and Jonathan gazed at each other for what seemed like an eternity until the moment was interrupted by a voice.

“Do you need anything else?” the waitress inquired.

“No, we’re fine,” Jonathan said, finally taking his attention away from Martha, who quickly looked down at the table.  What’s the matter with me?  You don’t fall in love with someone after only knowing them for a few hours. 

She glanced at her watch, surprised that she’d been here far longer than she’d intended.  There was a paper due for her literature class that she needed to proofread and put the finishing touches on.

“I have to go,” Martha said.  “I’ve got to finish up a paper for tomorrow.” 

“I’ll get the check,” he answered and got up, heading for the counter.  Martha followed him. 

Once they had left the diner and were walking back to the college, she told Jonathan everything about what happened with Lionel, amazed that she immediately trusted him enough to confide in him.  He was sympathetic when Martha described about how she’d found her fiancé in the arms of her now former friend.

“Are you and Lionel still together?  I mean…is the wedding off?”  He sounded concerned.

“It’s definitely on hold,” she replied.  “I told him I needed some time to think things through.  I thought I could trust him, but after what happened…” She shook her head. 

“I’d never hurt you like that,” Jonathan said.  “Ever.”

Martha smiled at that.  Somehow she knew that he would never hurt her as Lionel had. 

They reached her dorm.  “Thanks for loaning me your notes…and the coffee,” she replied. 

“The pleasure was all mine,” he said as he turned to leave.  “I’ll see you tomorrow in class.”

Martha watched him walk down the courtyard until she could no longer see him. 

Smiling to herself, she headed towards her room. 

She spent more and more time with Jonathan.  He was so sweet, so honest.  The fact that he was really cute was a bonus.  During this time, she hardly thought of Lionel.

At one point she wondered what her life would have been like if she’d met Jonathan first.  Part of her still cared for Lionel, and maybe always would.

There was the baby to consider.  Lionel was the child’s biological father, but would Jonathan be a better choice to raise a child with?  The busy life as the CEO of a major company would not leave him much time to spend with family.  Jonathan, she knew, would make time to be with his family. 

Maybe Smallville would be a better place to raise a family than Metropolis.  The connection she felt with Jonathan was growing stronger.  She could talk to him about anything. 

Martha knew one thing for certain.  She had fallen in love with Jonathan.  Both of them had admitted their feelings for each other a few days ago, one of the best days of her life. 

They had even discussed getting married once she’d officially broken up with Lionel.  Jonathan didn’t mind that the child growing inside hers wasn’t his.  “This baby is part of you,” he told her, “and that’s why I’ll love him or her like it was my own.”

There was only one thing Martha had left to do: tell Lionel that there was no chance that they’d be getting back together.  She hoped she could do this gently.

It’s just an attempt to get back at me, Lionel thought as he sat behind his desk, examining a series of photographs taken by a private investigator.

Ever since he’d met Martha, he’d had her under surveillance, mainly for her protection and then for that of his unborn child.  Metropolis had a fairly high rate of crime, and Lionel had to consider that his fiancée could be a target for kidnappers wanting a ransom.  Even after Martha had requested the time apart, he had continued to have her activities monitored.

Private investigators followed Martha and took photographs of her as she went on about her daily routine.  Weekly reports arrived on his desk.  These men had been hired through one of Luthorcorp’s many subsidiaries and didn’t know who paid them.

At first when the reports