Chapter Text
There are books. So many books - thin, thick, big, and small - scattered in every nook of the tiny cottage. When Maeve McGrath greets her visitors, she hands them the stack of books she’s had to move in order to pry the door open.
There are few toys at this point, but strewn about stuffed animals have always been the least of her worries. Now, in the living room, she finds resistors and wires and induction coils. She’s thankful that woodwork has yet to make its way into the home.
However, there is one game that remains perched safely away from the chaos. The paint has been chipped away from use while at least three pawns have been replaced with M13 bolts. Chess has always been a past time at the McGrath home.
But the chaos seems to have settled, she notices. Her little engineer has hauled off her toolkit to other pastures. The lack of soldering and welding makes the home too quiet at this point, and Maeve begins to sing.
--
“Thank you as always for the help, chicken.”
Lena turns back to the couch where Mrs. O’Keefe peers over. She grins. “It’s my pleasure, Mrs. O’Keefe. You know, it’s always quite a bit of fun for me to work with all of these things.”
Putting the finishing touches on the TV, Lena looks down, pleased at her work. “I think you’re all set now!”
Mrs. O’Keefe smiles wide as the TV comes to life, bright colors and sharp resolution. “This is lovely! Riley, come have a look!” she shouts to the outside.
“I’ll be there in a minute, Nancy!” her husband calls back, tossing an apologetic smile at the customer in front of him.
HIs customer shakes his head understandingly. “Your daughter?”
The baker laughs heartily. “No, not mine An adopted granddaughter, maybe. She’s a neighbor’s. Bright lass that’s been helping us with our TV.”
Riley hands over the man’s change, but again the man shakes his head. “Keep the change, sir. I appreciate the tip.” he says, turning with his pastry and walking out the door.
“Strange one, he is.” Riley mumbles to himself, putting the extra ten Euros away in the register. However, the feeling is fleeting as he spots the knobbly-kneed McGrath watching around the corner.
The girl is a paradox - confident in her work but terribly timid around strangers, outspoken when faced with injustice and quiet during peace. However, as he peers over his spectacles and meets her eyes, he sees them flickering around, collecting details.
“He was wearing the nicest suit in town,” Lena comments quietly.
He hums in agreement. “That’ll be the one, chicken.”
She continues staring out the door and Riley can feel the dull ache in his heart as he watches her. Maeve never told anyone much about Lena’s father, but he’d seen the man enough to know he was well-to-do.
The man stopped by the bakery enough with the McGrath’s order that he put two and two together swiftly enough. Eventually, when the town knew, he’d take his strolls with small Lena, walking unsteady on the cobblestone streets.
The visits were relatively frequent for a week at a time, Maeve murmuring the poor excuse that Lena’s father was away on business more often that he wasn’t. For Lena’s sake, mum was the word when the visits stopped all together.
Fancy suits, especially during Lena’s earlier years, that slowly transitioned to jeans and soft worn shirts. The last time Riley had seen the man was years ago, driving away in a Bentley, dressed in the nicest suit he’d seen bar today.
Shaking his head swiftly out of its stupor, he crouches down and pulls out two muffins from the case. “Now let’s get you fed, dear,” he says softly, “Can’t show me no good work on an empty stomach.”
When he steps into the living room, little Lena leading the way, he can’t help but marvel at the work she’s done that he nearly drops his muffin.
Lena turns sharply to look at him, eyes wide with concern unbefitting of a twelve year old. “Is it bad?” Yes, the girl works with confidence but shies away at review.
Riley kneels down with kind eyes, his wife watching from another corner of the room. “You, chicken, are a wonder.”
--
It’s her dad that teaches her how to construct circuit boards, take apart microwaves and toasters without fear or hesitation.
“Lena, darling, I am so excited for your future.” he would often tell her whenever she exceeded his expectations, which occurred more often than not.
Whenever she was younger, four or five, and the concept of jobs was more solid, Lena would always probe her father about what he did.
“Are you an… en-engine--engineer?”
Her father would laugh, nervously rub the back of his bald head, and say, “I used to be. I like to tinker.”
Her first years are spent reading on her father’s lap and playing chess in the afternoons, grimacing whenever he allowed her a sip of his tea. Her mother would take her on long walks by the beach, her father joining when he had the chance.
If she was lucky and the weather on the beach wasn’t so bleak, she’d get the best of both worlds and they would all play chess on the beach.
It had taken twelve games, but she placed her bishop down and declared checkmate. Her mother laughed as her father whirled her on the sand, nearly knocking over the board and all of its pieces.
Instead, they had only lost two pawns that had been set aside into the sand.
After chess, they began to tinker.
And then, her father stopped visiting.
She had been eight, and he was there for her birthday and the two days after. But secretly, she always found it a little strange. Her father, normally dressed in a t-shirt and denims, was dressed to the nines those final days.
When he had stepped into a Bentley (and she’d learned about Bentleys), he had knelt down and kissed her on the forehead as per his usual goodbyes. And said what he always told her, “I am so excited for your future.”
It’d been a blur after that. There had been a factory fire where her mother worked, but on that day Lena had been sick and heartbroken over her father not answering her calls that Lena’s mother stayed home.
Ever since, it has been just the two of them.
--
She’s in the middle of wrangling all of Lena’s scattered screwdrivers when she hears a sharp knock on the door. Not too aggressive, but definitely loud enough to be heard, and Maeve has a wave of nostalgia thinking of the man who’d gone out of his way to perfect such a knock.
But it can’t be him. She knows it’s no longer possible. However, the man behind the door is almost like a shadow of Lionel with his strong jawline and bright eyes she sees mirrored at her every day. The young man can’t be older than 25, dressed in an immaculate suit, his auburn hair combed back, an easy smile on his face.
“Hello, Ms. McGrath. My name is Lex, I’m Lionel Luthor’s son.”
Maeve can’t help her grimace. “I half-expected you to come here. Although, I had hope that being CEO of a major corporation would keep you busy.”
Despite the bite in her tone, Lex merely laughs. “Not wrong, but this is really important to me. May I come in?”
“If you must.” She steps aside, a part of her relieved that Lena is away and she had time to clean. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
Lex nods. “Yes, please.” He glances around the living room as he steps in, his eyes narrowing in certain places, such as the chessboard or the bookshelf.
“I’m a little surprised you didn’t outright say no.” he comments, following her into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table.
As she pulls two mugs from the cupboard, Maeve rolls her eyes. “I don’t know about you, Mr. Luthor, but we have manners in this house. And like I said, I had an inkling you would come around.”
“Then I’m sure you have an idea of what this is about.”
Lex’s smile turns sad, his eyes lowered as he pulls out a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket. “I’m just here to help execute my father’s will.”
“Well, let’s wait for the tea to brew first, Mr. Luthor. I think I’ll need it.”
--
When Lena returns home from the O’Keefes, she’s startled to see the same customer from the bakery sitting at their kitchen table across from her mother.
“Mum?” Her little Lena has her head tilted in that adorably curious way she started to possess when she was five.
Glancing at her guest, Maeve stands up, her headache growing. “Lena, would you mind heading to your room for a bit, love? We’ll talk soon.”
Nodding slowly, knowing better than to argue with her mother, Lena retreats to her bedroom, leaving Maeve relieved. She turns back to Lex, noticing his eyes trailing after his half-sibling.
“She’s meant for more than this, you know. Dad always knew.” he murmurs. His eyes are still fixed at Lena’s trail.
Maeve raises an eyebrow, surprised. “I wasn’t aware you knew about her, Mr. Luthor.” Lex shakes his head.
“I didn’t. But I know that he’s wanted more for her future - he’s set up boarding school options, scholarships, spoke with universities! This will hasn’t been updated for four years, but that shows that my father already planned for this.”
Yes, of course Maeve was aware of this. In another life, perhaps Lionel would have left Lillian and all of that could have been Lena’s. During her pillow talks with Lionel, Lena would often come up, his pride seeping in every word as he imagined the future Lena would lead.
Maeve stands from her chair, to shake off those dusty memories and to put a stop to this. “I think you’ve now overstayed your welcome, Mr. Luthor. I'd appreciate it if you would leave.”
He stares back beseechingly and Maeve is almost transported to the day that Lionel left. “She’s meant for more.”
“She’s my daughter.”
When hearing that, Lex bows his head in retreat, before taking his jacket and quietly thanking her for the tea. He pauses at the door, looking back.
“I'm staying at the inn until Saturday.” So, two days. “If you reconsider, or at least if I could speak with Lena…” he trails off. “She's my sister.”
Maeve’s throat closes slightly as she sees the lost look on the young man’s face. Even though Lionel was lovely with Lena, Maeve was never so disillusioned to think that Lionel was a great father. A man who was in between families was not a father any child deserved.
Nights spent tracing Lionel’s back in bed, he would murmur the difficulties of being married to Lillian. How much he enjoyed being with them in their seaside town, the haze the town would draw over his eyes.
Through it all, she knows Lex was alone. Or with Lillian, god forbid.
“Wait, Lex,” she slips, a slight tone of affection for the lad. “Tomorrow afternoon, at 2. I’ll bring Lena by the inn.”
Lex immediately brightens and the ends of his lips quirk up. “Thank you, Ms. McGrath.”
He shuts the door behind him quietly and Maeve returns to slump in her chair. She knew she was denying Lena something she knew to be true. Lena was a Luthor.
--
As per her agreement, Maeve brings Lena into town the next day, walking them towards the inn. Her daughter walks in a measured pace, but she can tell that Lena is excited. Something she has always adored in Lena - the open mindedness, optimism, her desire to do good.
When Maeve had explained to Lena that she had an older half-brother, she wasn’t completely taken aback nor shocked like Maeve expected. Instead she had simply said, “Lex?”
Maeve had nodded slowly. “Yes, Lex is your half-brother, Lena.”
Lena scrunched up her face in concentration as she took the nearest gadget at the coffee table and began to fiddle with it. It was a nervous habit, Maeve supposed. She would often find Lena working on something the night before school started, a bundle of nerves.
“Dad told me about him. Showed me a picture once, when he was my age. I guess I didn’t recognize him.”
Now her eyebrows were shooting up. “Your father told you about Lex?”
Lena bounced her head once. “He told me it’d be nice if we could meet. He said I’d like him.”
And perhaps that was where Lena’s excitement stemmed from, while Maeve feared that Lex would whisk Lena away. Away from her Irish roots, away from her home, away from her mother.
When they came into view of the inn, Lex was already standing outside, dressed much more casual in rolled up jeans and a t-shirt, red hair covered by a baseball cap. Lena stopped abruptly next to her, tightening her grip on their clasped hands.
“I’m a little nervous, Mum. I want him to like me.” Lena says, voice a little shaky. Her green eyes are wide with nervous panic.
Her darling girl. Maeve kneels down so she’s eye level to her daughter and embraces her tightly. “Darling, he will adore you. Just like your father. And, I want you to look over there.”
She lets go of Lena and slightly turns her so that Lex is in view, leaning against a post, eyes on his phone. Every few seconds, he glances up, his eyes searching, but Maeve has placed them just out of view.
“He’s nervous just like you, love. That means he really wants you to like him too.”
Lena finally breaks out into a small smile and nods at her mother. Maeve rises and with much more confidence, Lena walks over to Lex, who finally spots them.
The grin that appears on Lex’s face makes him look so much younger than the somber young man that sat at her breakfast nook. “Ms. McGrath, thank you for agreeing to meet with me. And Lena, thank you for coming.”
Lex bends down slightly, extending his hand to Lena. “My name is Lex. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Lena.”
Like her father taught her, Lena grasps Lex’s hand and gives it a firm shake. A look of pleasant surprise washes over Lex’s face. “It’s nice to meet you too, Lex.”
Seeing the anxious energy slowly seep out of her daughter, Maeve takes this is her cue to leave. “Lex, if you could bring Lena by the house whenever you’re done. Preferably by dinner. The O’Keefes are having the neighborhood out for dinner to watch Father Ted on the TV Lena fixed.”
“You were the one that fixed the baker’s TV?” Lex asked, surprised.
Lena nods shyly, turning in a little to her mother, but Maeve places a comforting hand on her head, starting to turn away.
“My little wonder, please have fun with your brother. I’ll see you at dinner, love.”
Maeve places a soft kiss on the crown of her daughter’s head. Nodding towards Lex and seeing his grateful look, she waves them off and heads back home.
--
At 5:30 PM, Lex brings Lena around the house, carrying the petite girl on his back. Maeve chuckles to herself when she spots them from her window, Lena’s smile so bright, a look she hadn’t seen since her father left.
“Mum!” Lena shouts, waving, when Maeve steps out on the porch to greet them.
Maeve grins. “Hello, love. Did you have a good time?” she asks, when Lex sets her down and Lena rushes into her arms.
“Yes! I beat Lex at chess!” she says proudly. Behind her, Lex smiles, admiration on his face as he stares down at his younger sister. “Can Lex join us for dinner?”
Maeve sees Lex’s face fall slightly, his lips thinning as he braces himself for rejection. “Yes, that’s absolutely fine. The O’Keefes have always been a fan of the more the merrier.”
When they arrive at the O’Keefes’ bakery, the dinner has already been set out, the room smelling heavenly. “Well, if it isn’t the fancy dressed visitor!” Riley O’Keefe greets, shaking Lex’s hand. “Glad to see you decided to stay a few days!”
“It’s been wonderful. The town is lovely.” Lex says with a charming smile, as he accepts a hug from Nancy O’Keefe.
Maeve nods. “Lex has been visiting. He’s a family friend.” she explains once they’re all seated at the table. Lena is sitting across from her, in between Lex and her friend, Angel.
“Well, it’s always brilliant to have visitors. Makes things interesting!” Mr. Coulby adds, raising his glass.
Everyone joins in several cheers, one dedicated to Lena for fixing the O’Keefe’s TV, to which her daughter blushes prettily and hides away in her friend’s shirt. The table laughs merrily until Lena forgets to hide.
As everyone relocates to the living room to watch Father Ted, she sees Lex break away with a polite excuse and head outside.
Following him outside to the backyard porch, Lex lights a cigarette and takes a long draw. “Well, Mr. Luthor, I’d never have taken you for a smoker.” Maeve says, putting on her most disappointed motherly voice.
Lex smiles sheepishly at her, looking so boyish in all his years, snubbing the cigarette on the bottom of his shoe. He places it back in the box, placing it in Maeve’s extended hand.
“Rarely,” he justifies.
Lionel used to smoke too, Maeve almost says, when he was nervous. “Well then,” she begins when Lex says nothing after. “Are you going to tell me what your plans are for my daughter?”
“I asked her if she would come to Metropolis with me. For school. And she could always come back for summers to Ireland and I’d be happy to pay for any visits with you coming to her or flying her out to you.”
“That’s mighty generous of you, Lex.”
Lex clears his throat, his hands flexing. Maeve can tell he’s itching for that cigarette now. “Someone should have a mother around.”
Maeve sighs deeply. “Lionel wasn’t the best example of a great father." she starts. "He was… always torn. And I don’t know how Lillian is, aside from what little Lionel would tell me, but…”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” Maeve finishes.
“My mother is a complicated woman. I’m sure you can understand what it would feel like to never have all of the attention of her partner. But, my father was also supposed to be her husband.”
There’s bitterness in his tone that Maeve is sure runs deeper than what’s shown. Lex was a teenager when Lena was born, her father’s affair beginning years before that. She knows she was the “other woman.”
But here was Lex, wounded and holding himself together. It was a contrast, much like her own daughter, to see him so vulnerable when the interviews she had watched on TV showing him so impervious to critics and his genius always shining through. The dichotomy mimicked itself father to son, father to daughter.
Maeve takes a deep breath. She breathes out. “Lex Luthor, consider yourself a part of the McGrath family. If Lena so chooses, you have my blessing to take her to Metropolis. Just please look after each other.”
Lex nods solemnly, his eyes adopting a slight sheen that Maeve is sure are tears.
“Of course.”