Audrey had watched Lionel and Martha through a crack in the bathroom door. Recalling the events of the months past she had gained more strength by the moment. The very sight of that man ignites a fire beneath her. Who is he to destroy her life? The information she has on him could bury him and his standing in society. His hands are drenched in his own parent's blood, yet there he stands free. He should be the one who is hidden away.

    She had entered into the Luthor's world aware of what Lionel was. Knowing what he was capable of. She was able to knock down the walls Lionel had built around Lex. It may be difficult, but she would fight for all of the things he had taken from her. Including that which cut her the deepest.
 
 

*****
 
 

    Martha and Audrey are returning to the Kent farm in the truck. As much as Martha would like to remain sympathetic to Audreyís feelings, she can no longer sit back idly and wait. This girl knows too much. She knows about Clark. She is running from Lionel Luthor, and Martha knows all to well that the Luthors do not let things, or people, slip through their fingers.

    Martha takes in a deep breath, then begins. "Audrey honey, I need to know what's going on. I will do whatever I can to help you, but first you have tell me what youíre mixed up in."

    Martha maneuvers the truck down the bumpy country road and steers Audrey down the treacherous path in which she had found herself, with a delicate grace.

    Audrey, full of fear of ruining her bond with Mrs. Kent, begins to fill in all the blanks.

    "I guess it all begins with Lex" Audrey says, very much in control of her emotions, ready to tell the story. "I used to think the Luthors were bad news. You can't live in Metropolis without hearing almost every week about some poor person that is a victim of the Luthor's wrath. I made myself a promise that I would avoid them, and for a long time I was able to. Our paths never actually crossed until the night my gallery opened." Audrey pauses, saying as though sheís just discovering it "It's funny when you work for so long to achieve something, sometimes the journey is so long it makes you forget why you began in the first place. I had come to Metropolis hoping to touch people with my art. Share my gifts with those that understood it. I painted day and night. Lived off of macaroni and cheese and pennies as I chased my dream" she says, almost remembering her early days in Metropolis fondly. She shakes her head continuing "Somewhere along the way, what I loved about painting was clouded over by the politics involved in surviving this cutthroat world. The further up the ladder I climbed, the more of myself I seemed to lose. It was such a gradual transition though, each day compromising my standards just a little bit" she says using hand gestures. "I remember telling myself it was to secure a sale, or land a client. Desperately trying to convince myself all of these sacrifices would benefit me, all the while knowing one day I wouldn't be able to recognize myself in the mirror" Audrey says, as Martha parks the truck in her driveway.

    The two women climb out of the truck, making their way into the house. Audrey continues sharing her story while Martha pours them both a glass of lemonade. She sets down the pitcher on the kitchen table, joining Audrey who is seated there.

    "Somehow I landed my own gallery. A beautiful space high above the city. It was more than I ever could've imagined, and actually much more than I wanted" Audrey says, getting a far off look in her eyes. Martha hangs on to her every word, her compassionate expression urging Audrey onward. Audrey lets out a deep breath and continues "So there I stood the night of my opening, surrounded by tons of people I couldn't talk to. People who seemed to live in another world completely. There was a part of me that wished I could relish the moment. It was a gathering to celebrate my work, everything I had been sacrificing myself for, but I knew the whole time I didnít belong. I knew deep down that it wasn't where I should be. I kept feeling like at any moment someone was going to come along and pull the rug out from beneath me. In a way, I was hoping they would."

    Audrey stops, taking a sip of the cool lemonade. She sets the glass down, continuing on with her story. "I thought I was used to being alone. It sort of goes with the whole life of an artist" she says, a knowing giggle lightening her. "But that night I felt like I was the only person on Earth. It didn't matter to me that my name adorned every piece of art in the loft. No one cared who that name belonged to." Audrey is able to capture the same emotions she felt that night with the expression on her face. Martha rubs Audrey's hand with her own, comforting her. Audrey smiles, it feels good to talk about this with someone.

    "So I walked out on the terrace to get some fresh air. It's funny I was lonely, and sad that I was all alone, but I left the room full of people so I could be by myself." Audreyís eyes sparkle, as she looks gown at the table, a small smile creeping across her lips. "That's the first time we met."

    "I know it sounds silly, but he changed my life that night" Audrey says, her face pinkening at the memory of it. "I tried to ignore him at first, tried to walk away. I knew who he was, and figured he was just toying with me. Since I wasn't in the mood to play games, I just wanted to leave" Audrey pauses, continuing with "but I couldn't."
Audrey, remembering her initial reaction still blinks her eyes in disbelief.

    "Something in my heart refused to let me leave that terrace without him."

    It is evident in everything she does that Audrey's heart is still holding on.

    Audrey pauses, taking another sip of her drink. She closes her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her fingers. The brief moment of peace the darkness brings her takes her back to that night, side by side with Lex. She invites Martha on the journey, painting the scenery as she remembers it. Taking her there with her words.

    Audrey looks in Lex's green eyes, feeling as though she can see his soul. He takes her hands into his, his gentle gaze assuring her what they both are feeling is real. She could live there forever, bask in the feeling that they are the only two people on Earth. They stood, poised on the edge of the greatest discovery either would ever make, the discovery of eachother's heart. These hearts that had been battered and bruised would somehow beat again. Shocked back to life with the electricity between them.

    "We spent every moment together, letting all of the things in our crazy lives just fall away. It felt like time had stopped for us, and I remember laying beside him hoping that it really had" Audrey says, stepping back into present day.

    She pauses, breathing out the words "Unfortunately as much as we wanted to be together, fate had different plans for us."
 
 

*****
 
 

    Lex Luthor walks into the office of Metropolis' Atrium Apartments, his mere presence commanding attention.

    "Good morning Mr. Luthor," the nervous doorman says, the site of a Luthor invoking fear. "What can I help you with today?"

    "Could you please direct me to Ms. Peytonís apartment?" Lex asks, calming the help with his benevolent tone.

    "Ms. Audrey Peyton?" the doorman asks.

    "Yes," Lex clarifies.

    The doorman adjusts himself in his swivel chair before having to deliver "I'm sorry, Sir. Ms. Peyton..."

    Lex interrupts him by pressing his hands down on the counter. "I'm sure she won't have a problem with me coming up," Lex says, a sly smile creeping across his confident face.

    "Oh no, it's not that," the doorman says, overcompensating for Lex's misunderstanding with a firm shake of his head. "It's that Ms. Peyton no longer lives here."

    Lex, feeling that the information is incorrect, breathes out an annoyed sigh, his eyes rolling upward. "I'm here to see Ms. Peyton and I would hate to hold you personally responsible if I had to leave here unsatisfied," Lex says, frustration evident in his voice.

    The doorman swallows, unsure how to proceed. He doesn't want to disappoint Lex, but he can't pull Audrey Peyton out of thin air. The nervous young man is practically twitching.

    "I'm very sorry, Sir," the doorman begins, "I'm afraid her lease expired a few days ago, and she moved out."

    Lex doesn't like what he's hearing. His jaw clenches, his knuckles cracking as he pushes his weight off the counter. He stops himself, realizing that the young man behind the desk doesn't have anything to gain by lying to him.

    Disappointed, he turns to leave the apartment building, pausing in the atrium, a far off look in his eyes.
 
 

*****
 

    Chloe is typing away on her laptop, happy to stop when Clark Kent taps on her shoulder.

    "Clark!" she says, her grin wide as the horizon. "Tell me you've got your Lex interview wrapped up" she says, hoping for some good news.

    Clark's face is as clear as a bell. This gigantic man is scared to tell his pint-sized editor that heís behind with a story once again. Considering the look sheís giving him it's really no wonder.

    "Please tell me you've started it" she prods, glaring at him.
Again, his face gives him away.

    "Clark!!!" she says, jumping up from the computer, mowing past him towards the layout wall. "How many times have I told you we work in deadlines around here?" she asks, shifting the layout around yet again on another edition of 'The Torch'.

    It's true, Clark doesn't work well with deadlines, but that's no news flash. Her reaction seems a little over amped for something pretty typical in their relationship.

    Clark, concerned that something else is going on, walks over to her. "Is everything all right, Chloe?" he asks, his large hand on her shoulder. His presence and tender eyes always able to take her down a notch.

    "Yeah, I'm okay" Chloe says, taking her hands off the board, bringing up one of her shoulders to rub her cheek. She's obviously stressing out. She turns around to face him, biting her lower lip. "I was counting on landing my interview for the front page, and now every lead I have isn't panning out" she says, throwing herself down in her chair, temporarily defeated. "Every road I chase Audrey Peyton down is a dead end. It's like she vanished into thin air or something," Chloe says, aggravated that her journalistic skills and sources have not been able to catch a woman she just had her hands on two days ago.

    Clark stands there, unsure what to say.

    "I mean, I realize this is Smallville, and some pretty odd things happen around here, but people don't drink a hot chocolate one moment and disappear the next" Chloe says, back up to her target heart rate. She grabs one of the many folders stacked on her desk, thrusting one of the documents in it in Clark's direction.

    He takes it, reading aloud "Metropolis Atrium Apartments".

    "That's where Audrey had been living up until the night I saw her at 'The Talon'" Chloe says, clueing Clark in on the mystery.

    Clark looks up, intrigued for his own personal reasons.

    Chloe stands back up, offering "It's an eviction notice, Clarkî.

   His eyes widen with surprise.

    Chloe moves in closer, highlighting the signature on the bottom of the document with her finger.

    "Lionel Luthor?" Clark says, unsure of what he's seeing.

    "Lionel Luthor." Chloe confirms with a sullen tone. Leaving Clark to digest that, she reaches back over to the desk producing another document. "This is a copy of her contract on her gallery" Chloe says, handing it to Clark. "It too just happened to expire two days ago" Chloe says, knowing she is on the trail of something.

    Clark stands there puzzled, trying to put the pieces together in his head.

    "I think she's staying somewhere in Smallville," Chloe says, her voice possessing an heir of confidence.

    Clark's head whips around, concerned that Chloe may know what heís hiding.

    Her eyebrow raises when she sees his reaction, a light bulb going off in her head. "Clark, do you think Lex might know where she is?" Chloe asks, both relieving him, and worrying him with that question.

    Heís safe. She doesnít know that Audrey is hiding out at his house. But wait, Could Lex be a part of this? As much as Clark wants to believe that his friend is not involved in whatever it is that is frightening Audrey, he knows better. He knows that whatever tangled web Lionel weaves, Lex canít help but get caught in it himself.
 
 

*****
 
 

    Lex enters his study, back from his morning in Metropolis. He walks over to the bar, fixing himself a drink, taking out his aggression on the defenseless ice cubes. He brings the scotch to his lips, the warm sting burning his throat. He closes his eyes, hoping the alcohol will erase the defeat of the day.

    "Welcome back my son," Lionel says, getting up from the couch.
Lex lets the scotch bottle slip down to its resting place.

    "Hello Dad," he says, taking another sip of his drink. He walks over to his desk, taking a seat. "What could possibly bring you out to Smallville? Another Luthorcorp flunkie need his nose wiped?" Lex asks sarcastically, a glimmer in his eyes.

    Lionel grins, happy to spar with the younger version of himself. "No no, I've got you to take care of such inconveniences" Lionel says from the bar, preparing a drink for himself.

    Lex exhales a chuckle, never amazed at his father's seeming pleasure at their atypical father-son relationship.

    "So, you decided to spend your morning in Metropolis I see," Lionel says, beginning his point, dropping the cubes into his glass as punctuation. "I thought I had made it clear that you were needed at the plant this week," a sternness taking residence in his eyes. He looks to Lex, who simply returns the cold eyed stare, opening his laptop.

    Lionel knowing his son well enough, realizes he's not going to share the events of his day with him. He decides to try and coax it out of him. Lionel walks over to the shelves near Lex's desk. He stops in front of the tiny painting poised on the shelf. He playfully caresses the frame with his fingers, his eyes sparkling. He looks over his shoulder at Lex.

    "This piece is extraordinary, son. How did you obtain it?" he asks, hoping to lure Lex in.

    Lex brings his scotch to his lips taking a swallow. Over his glass he simply offers "It was a gift".

    Lionel purses his lips breezing past Lex as he leaves the mansion.