Walk Through The Fire

Craving

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 on 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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With Tyla in National City, it was easy for Lex to navigate undetected. Picking up a ring was not something that he could have her see. It was long overdue but with the fact that she was well enough to travel, it was dangerously close to the end of her father's deadline. Lex had an overwhelming fear of disappointing him every time he met that man. It wasn't the same as his own father. It wasn't disappointment from falling short. It was the disappointment of letting someone down who genuinely cared. He had been supportive of Lex's attempts to take care of her. After the slight scare a couple of weeks back, Lex believed that Vigo knew that Tyla and his bond was difficult to break. 

Which was why Lex needed to focus on the ring. It had to be as unbreakable as their bond. It was hard considering most of his decisions were run by Tyla, regardless of her being an active partner in the company. It took most of his being not to call her for her preference. Instead, he kept an eye on her particular tastes, in clothing, jewelry, and art. The woman was simple but elegant. Whatever he got, it needed to have a subtle grace to it. He settled for white gold with a radiant 3 carat diamond. The band was intertwined with two vines-like strips and two smaller half carat diamonds sat on either side of the centerpiece. It was fairly custom.

After picking up the ring in its small box, he had one other stop to make upon her return . He sped his silver porsche to the parking lot of Central Kansas University. Walking out onto the campus, he noticed the glances from the students. He hadn't much business here save for a single professor who took it upon himself to look into his private affairs. Without Tyla firewalling the entire security and upgrading all sorts of defenses, it was easy for someone to come sniffing around. But it was also easy to be detected which is why he was here. Milton Fine.

"The question is, will you leave your footprints on the history of time or let them be washed away by the tides of more powerful men?"

Lex could hear the voice of the professor echoing down the halls. The mogul took his time, knowing which room to go to. His own private investigators made short work with finding the basics of Milton's profession. Lex snuck through the opened door and carefully waited by the side. He was quiet but his presence made the students buzz with excitement. It wasn't every day that Lex Luthor was in a freshman history class with reasons unbeknownst to them.

Fine locked eyes with the billionaire, a look of questionable intrigue flashed between them. Lex only returned with a look of challenge. A challenge that the professor seemed to gladly take. A small chuckle bubbled in Milton's throat. "Mr.Kent," he added. "What about you?"

Clark blinked, looking from Lex to Milton. "Me? I, um-"

"LuthorCorp practically owns your hometown of Smallville. What if you found out that Lex Luthor, the emperor of the company was a dangerous, unstable, megalomaniac bent on destroying your world? Would you have the courage to try to stop him?"

Lex bit his bottom lip slightly. Live in action, he thought. Fine was boldly making assumptions in the name of theory to his unsuspecting students. He shifted and leaned against the side of the seat podiums, digging deeper into his pockets. The box tapped against his knuckles and a small smirk twitched his lips. If it wasn't for the woman this ring was for, Fine's words would have been his last. He sharply exhaled and looked over to his former friend.