Fortress

Fealty

A/N: I don't own Smallville or any characters and places in the DC universe. Nor do I own the episodes that these chapters are based and contained from.

I also don't claim to be a writer. My inspiration is simply to get a creative outlet going.

I only own Tyla Nevin and what pertains to her character story.

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"You didn't tell me that Clark was with you at Belle Reve."

Tyla closed her eyes, absentmindedly as Lex walked into the conservatory. She was reading a letter from her sister while drinking some iced tea. "No, and for that, I apologize but I stand by not telling you," she exhaled, sharply. She had rehearsed that sentence before in her head.

"Tyla, he is an eyewitness!" Lex exclaimed. He had come back that evening after speaking to his friend. He was worried that his father would come out from bail and with Tyla simply being a source instead of an eyewitness, he was pulling out desperate straws. Clark told him that he had tried to break Lex out from Belle Reve with Tyla and that he saw Lionel turn up the voltage of the therapy, knowing that there would be a risk of turning his son into a vegetable. Although it was helpful, it was news to Lex that Clark was with Tyla.

"Lex, I don't think it's wise to bring another 17-year-old into this," she warned. "Look at what we just had to deal with the other day." With what she had gone through with Pete and Chloe, it was clear that Lionel would go to no lengths to ensue danger. It seemed like Lex would do the same.

"Clark can handle himself."

"Against your father?" She looked up at him. "You and I aren't even sure if we can handle it."

"I need at least one witness to put him behind bars," he turned away, leaning forward against the countertop. He needed his own evidence, a witness and proof that Lionel was capable to do a repeat performance. He has all but a viable person to corroborate his evidence. "But my source has to be anonymous."

Tyla's eyes widened. "Your source is trying to protect the person who gave you the evidence to arrest him in the first place." Was he guilting her to come forward?

"Tyla, that was your choice." He had an umbrella of assurances for her and she gave it to Chloe.

She knew he was stressed out. She knew that he had this obsession to see his father finished, it was a vice she was more than aware of now. It ran through Luthor veins. She wasn't sure what he was more frustrated about; her not telling him that Clark was with her or her not being able to give him that testimony. But she wouldn't stay to be bullied any longer. "Okay, Lex...it is physically impossible to be purely honest with you. The mind goes through a thousand thoughts per day. We would both go insane telling each other the complete truth if that's how we conducted through life. I promised that I would be honest with you and frankly, I didn't see the need to tell you that Clark was there because that would have been something he needed to come forward with. That's between the two of you," she said as she got up. She was tired of the mistrust. It was like there were two Lexs that she had to contend with. The one from the auction and the one who had trouble believing that he deserved that night. "I'm not staying here for you to blaspheme me for one blip out of the entire retelling of what happened to you." She grabbed her letter, and her iced tea then walked out of the conservatory. Lex balled his hands into fists, frustrated that he made her angry once more.

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Tyla was in her office when Lex had knocked on her door. She looked up from her desk, finishing up a report and watched as Lex walked slowly over to her. In his hands were three wrapped parcels. She raised an eyebrow. "Are those for me?" she asked.