Disclaimer: I own nothing

    It has been three years since Bonnie Bennett gave the baby girl she had by Tyler Lockwood, up for adoption. Still unaware that her step-mother, Mayor Carol Lockwood, who is also Tyler’s mother, gave the baby to vampire Damon Salvatore to raise, Bonnie is now in her second year at Metropolis University. She is majoring in History and has joined the Metropolis Buffalo Basketball cheer squad.

    Bonnie’s life is full enough, but she is turning down dates right in left, unwilling to throw herself into another relationship. That is, until Sam Winchester re-appears in her life...

                                                                       ****

    Bonnie was rollerskating with her roommate, Cat Grant, on the sidewalks of Metropolis. Cat was majoring in journalism and already had an internship at the Daily Planet. Most people found Ms. Cat hard to take, because she talked so much and was opinionated. But oddly, Bonnie found her constant chatter soothing. She talked about herself mostly, so that meant Bonnie didn’t have to talk about her own life.

    At one point, Cat’s cellphone rang, and she stopped to grab it from her waist. Bonnie glanced back at her, but kept skating--and slammed into someone!

    “Oh my God! I’m so sorry...” Bonnie began, then looked up. She had slammed into Sam Winchester, who was dressed in a suit that had to have cost a lot of money. His arms tightened around her. Sam, his brother Dean and her cousin Kendra, had watched over her when her father sent her to South Dakota about three years ago.

    “Bonnie? How have you been?” he asked.

    “Uh...fine. What are you doing here?”

    “I live here. In Metropolis. I work here too. In the city.”

    Bonnie tilted her head.

    “Really?”

    “Yes...what about you? I thought you would’ve stayed in Mystic Falls.”

    Before Bonnie could answer, Cat skated up and smiled at Sam appreciatively.

    “Uh, Bonnie? Aren’t you going to introduce me to this man?”

    Bonnie blinked and tore her gaze from Sam to look at Cat.

    “What man?”

    “The man who’s arms you’re in.” Cat said sarcastically. Sam reluctantly let Bonnie go and she introduced Sam.

    “Cat, this is Sam Winchester. Sam, this is my roommate, Cat Grant.”

    Cat nodded.

    “I know you! The Planet did a story on you...you’re the head of some big department at LuthorCorp, right?”

    Bonnie’s eyes widened! What? What happened to Dean and Sammy’s Bar???

    Sam glanced at Cat before focusing on Bonnie.

    “Yes, I am.” he answered.

    Bonnie moved back a bit.

    “You work for Lex Luthor?”

    “Yes. Dean and I went our separate ways. He and Kendra are engaged...you knew that, right?”

    Bonnie said nothing. She didn’t know what disturbed her more: that Sam was working for Lex Luthor or that she hadn’t known about Dean and Kendra, and didn’t know how to explain why.

    “Uh, no. I kind of lost touch with Kendra. Things came up. Listen, Sam, it was nice seeing you again but I have a class I have to get to.”

    “No you don’t!” Cat tattled. “But I have to get to the Daily Planet! I plan to be a real reporter within a year. You wait and see. And when that happens you’ll see all of my stories on the front page. In bold ink. And they will all be feel good stories not that doom and gloom...”

    “I’ll see you, Cat.” Bonnie said patiently, smiling. Cat grinned!

    “I’ll see you later, Bonnie. Nice to meet you, Sam.”

    “Nice to meet you.” Sam said. He watched as the bubbly blonde skated off. Bonnie tried to as well, but Sam caught her arm.

    “If I’m making you uncomfortable, Bonnie, just tell me. Your roommate said you didn’t have a class to get to.”

    Bonnie took a deep breath.

    “Sam, my life fell apart when I left you at that airport in South Dakota. And I still don’t want to talk about it.”

    “Then we won’t.” Sam said, smiling softly. “How about you let me walk you back to your dorm room?”

    “Don’t you have to get back to work?”

    “I’m the head of my department. I can go back whenever.” Sam said, still smiling at her. This time Bonnie smiled back and nodded.

                                                                          ****

    Sam surreptitiously looked around Bonnie’s dorm room. No pictures of any guys. No picture of Tyler Lockwood. While he was more than thrilled by this, it was also apparent that something had happened with that werewolf, that had left Bonnie very closed off.

    Bonnie had changed out of her skating clothes in the bathroom and was now dressed in jeans and a sweater. She sat down next to Sam on her bed.

    “I know this isn’t the most comfortable room.”

    “It’s a college dorm room. It’s fine.” Sam said softly. “So, tell me what you’re studying here? I mean how are things going?”

    Bonnie bit her lip.

    “I don’t want to talk about me. I want to know how you ended up working for Luthorcorp? I mean Dean and you were determined to...well...you know...”

    “Dean and I had to start living our lives. Or at least I wanted to start living mine. I had quit college short of my degree, to work with Dean. I went back, graduated and before I knew it, Lex Luthor was knocking at my door. He practically begged me to head up this new department that deals with supernatural things. There’s a town on the outskirts of Metropolis called Smallville, where in which there are a lot of unexplained goings ons.”

    Bonnie said nothing to that. She was very aware of how strange that town was! She peered at him.

    “So you’ve been here awhile?”

    “A few years, yeah. Just like you.” Sam noted. He glanced over at her closet and saw a cheerleading outfit peeking out. He stood up and opened the closet all the way, then smiled down at her.

    “You’re on the Met U. team?”

    Bonnie stood up as well.

    “No, the NBA team here.”

    “Really? Bonnie, that’s great! I’ll have to come to a game.”

    Bonnie nodded.

    “Yeah, you do.” she said,

    There was an uncomfortable silence and Sam broke it.

    “I hate whatever Lockwood did to you.”  he said.

    Bonnie looked down and away. For a brief moment, she felt as if she could hear her baby crying. Sam walked up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. He then turned her around to face him.

    “I’m sorry for saying that.”

    Bonnie quickly shook her head!

    “Don’t be. I just have nothing to give anyone anymore. And that scares me. I don’t know if I ever will again.”

    Sam pulled her into his arms and held her tightly for a long while. Finally, he set her away from him.

    “I want you to come with me to a dinner tonight. At Lex Luthor’s mansion.”

    Bonnie froze.

    “Sam...uh...”

    “Bonnie, there is a whole new world out there, minus a dick like Lockwood. Let  me take you to this dinner...let me help you get over this.”

    Bonnie just stared up at him, then nodded. Sam smiled.

    “Good girl. I’ll be by to pick you up at seven, okay?”

    Bonnie nodded again, then watched as Sam left her room. Bonnie slowly sat down on her bed. What Sam did not know, was that Lex Luthor was the person Carol Lockwood had sent her to stay with during her pregnancy. She finished out her schooling living with him.

    She never saw him much. His assistant, Ms. Tess Mercer, saw to her needs. But she overheard a very strange conversation between Lex and a man that Bonnie had THOUGHT was his brother, Julian. It was so strange, that to be blunt, while Bonnie was grateful for the Luthor hospitality during that time in her life, she really didn’t want to see Lex, or that house, ever again.

    Now she had to wonder what Lex would say to her, in front of Sam, when they met again this evening? Bonnie sighed when she heard a knock on her door. She stood up, walked over and opened it.

    It was one of her Metropolis Buffalo cheerleading teammates, Jack Schott. He was kind of a geeky looking guy, but oddly muscular.

    “Hey, Jack!”

    “Hey, Bonnie. Listen, are you coming to practice tonight? Because if you are, I’ll walk you over.”

    “Oh, thanks, Jack. But no. I have a Luthorcorp dinner to go to.” she said, wondering why she felt the need to tell him all of that.

    “Oh, wow. My father works for Luthorcorp. He’ll probably be at the dinner as well.”

    “Really? What does your father do?”

    “Believe it or not,” Jack said, “he makes toys.”

                                                                        ****

    Tess walked into Lex’s office and found him staring out of a window. He only looked at  her when she came into his peripheral vision.

    “Well?” Lex asked.

    “Demon boy and the witch met on the street.” Tess said sardonically. Lex smiled slyly at her.

    “Now, now, Ms. Mercer. Surely you believe in true love? Or is this about the fact that Mr. Winchester barely notices your attempts to get to know him better?”

    Tess scowled briefly!

    “I spent time with the witch during her pregnancy, remember? She never mentioned Winchester. She loves that werewolf boy! I don’t get what you hope to achieve with this ‘hook-up’?”

    “That will reveal itself in due time.” Lex said dismissively. “Now, don’t we have a meeting with the head of Product Development?”

    “Yes, Winslow Schott. Though I have to say, I haven’t been too pleased with what I’ve seen from him so far.”

    “The point is, Ms. Mercer, that I end up being pleased, not you. Let’s go and see him.” Lex said coolly. They walked out of his office, only to see Sam Winchester step off an elevator and walk towards them.

    “Mr. Luthor, Ms. Mercer, you wanted my budget for Level 33.1.” he said, handing Tess a folder. Tess took it and tried to keep her eyes from lingering on him any longer than normal.

    “Never mind that, Sam. You’re department will want for nothing. Ms. Mercer and myself were about to head over to Product Development.  I specifically asked Mr. Schott, who heads the department, to invent something that will be of use to Level 33.1.”

    Sam raised a brow.

    “I don’t think I understand, Mr. Luthor.” he said.

    Lex clapped him on the shoulder. He liked the idea of having someone with a minutia of demon blood in his employ...and hopefully soon, in his pocket.

    “You’ll see what I mean when we get to Product Development.” Lex said.  Sam smiled wanly and began walking with Lex and Tess. Despite what he knew Luthor thought of him, he was not a fool.  Lex has been upfront with him, telling him he knew of his and Dean’s ‘supernatural’ endeavors. Sam took that to really mean, that he knew of his stay in hell with Lucifer, and Dean’s own visit to the underworld.

    And yet, what Sam was encountering on Level 33.1, were ordinary people who had been exposed to some kind of meteor rock, during an actual meteor storm, back in the late 80’s. Sam, along with a team of scientists, monitored these people to see if their abilities could be used to benefit mankind in someway.

    Or so that was SUPPOSED to be what he was doing.

    Sam suspected that Lex had other plans for these people. He had no proof, but it was more feeling than fact, based on what he knew of Lex. And just the vibes he got off the man whenever he interacted with him...like now.

    Ms. Mercer was hot for him, that he could clearly see as well.

    Now, Sam felt as if he had to stay on with Luthorcorp, if for no other reason, but to make sure that the interests of the meteor-infected, were protected. He had talked to Dean for long hours on the phone about this whole thing. Dean thought that the meteor victims being housed in Level 33.1, ought to be set free, and had offered to help.

    But somehow, Sam didn’t think that was the right strategy, for now. He pulled himself into the here and now, when they arrived at Winslow Shott’s lab. Sam had only met Winslow once or twice, and thought that while he was talented, he was also kind of a weirdo.

    “Mr. Schott,” Lex said in a droll tone, “have you finished what I asked for?”

    Winslow Schott was a very unfortunate looking man. He had a receding hairline, with stringy hair that ran down his back. He also wore wire-rimmed spectacles and was probably 20 years older than he really looked.

    “Mr. Luthor, I told you that I needed more money to make that possible. You gave all of the funds MY to HIS department.” Schott sniffed.

    Sam raised a brow.

    “Are you referring to me?” he asked Schott.

    “I am indeed! I’m sorry, Mr. Luthor...”

    Lex folded his arms.

    “I see nothing but toys...CRAP, around this lab! And why are half the lights off in here?”

    Tess peered over at a small plant display, that to the naked eye, looked like nothing more than chia pets. But the lights seemed to be on, only on over it. She peered harder at it. The leaves in some of the plants seemed to be throbbing, as if something else were inside them. She eased closer to Lex.

    “Some of my work is delicate, Mr. Luthor.” Schott sniffed.

    “But not timely? Like what I asked you for? And you get plenty of money for this department. So will your replacement. You’re fired, Mr. Schott.”

    Winslow blinked.

    “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you correctly. Did you say I was fired?”

    “Get out and don’t even think of taking anything with you. Ms. Mercer, call security. I want him watched as he packs his meager things and leaves the building.” Lex said. Sam rubbed the back of his  neck. This was embarrassing...

    Suddenly, he too noticed the plants. They reminded him of something, but he couldn’t think what.

    Then Tess said it out loud.

    “Those plants look like the ones from that  movie ‘Alien’.” she said.

    Lex frowned with annoyance.

    “What in God’s name are you talking about, Ms. Mercer?”

    But Sam knew.

    “The movie, Alien, Mr. Luthor. The plants opened up and some creature jumped out onto people’s faces. But...”

    Sure as shit, the plants opened up! Lex looked over at Winslow--who was not there!

    “Where did he go?!” Lex snapped, as Sam grabbed his arm.

    “Let’s get out of here!” he yelled. Lex, Tess and Sam just made it to the door in time to slam and lock it, before peering into the through the door window! There were things with tentacles hopping around in there!

    “I’m calling the CDC!” Tess said, but Lex grabbed her arm.

    “No, I don’t want to cause a panic. I’ll have it taken care of internally.”

    “Do you think Schott actually created face huggers?” Sam asked incredulously. “And where did he go so quickly?”

    “How did he get out of that lab before us?” Tess asked, her tone grousing.

    A security team showed up. Lex stood before them.

    “Lock down the building and find Winslow Schott. When you do, bring him to me.”

    Sam eyed Lex. Why weren’t they calling the police? Before he could ponder this further, Lex turned to him.

    “Until Mr. Schott is replaced, I want you to head your department and his. Are you up to the challenge?”

    “Mr. Luthor...”

    “It’s Lex.”

    “Okay...Lex, I know NOTHING about product development.”

    “You don’t need to know anything,” Tess said, “just oversee it.”

    Before Sam could say yes or no, Lex and Tess walked away from him. They were now speaking to a bunch of men that were wearing hazmat suits.  Sam ran a hand through his hair. He had found his way into Bonnie Bennett’s life again and gotten a promotion in the same day.

    Meanwhile, Winslow Schott was already at home in the shower. He planned to attend that dinner at Lex Luthor’s home tonight, whether he was still an employee or not.