Title: Intentions

Title: Intentions

Author: danceswithgary (danceswithgary@yahoo.com)

Pairing: Clark/Lex, Kal-El/Lex

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Borderline non-consensual, violence

Spoilers: S1-S4

Word Count: 12,000

Archive: Fine, just let me know

Summary: What if Kal-El had stolen more than a crystal from Lex's jet?

We call the intention good, which is right in itself, but the action is good, not because it contains within it some good, but because it issues from a good intention. The same act may be done by the same man at different times. According to the diversity of his intention, however, this act may be at one time good, at another bad.

Ethics, by Peter Abelard, translated by J.R. McCallum

***

Intentions

***

Sliding his fingers through dark waves, Lex savored the silken texture, absurdly pleased at the length. Clark had never let his hair grow so long in the past. Gazing down into his still face, the features too perfect to be human, Lex regretted the pain that flickered across it whenever he brought the gun too close. Even unconscious, Clark's body reacted to the deadly radiation. A cramp threatened, brought on by sitting without protection on cold rock, but he was unwilling to shift Clark's heavy head from his lap long enough to stretch. Lex knew that he'd be waking soon, and then it would be time for the final decision because it was too late to find another solution.

He had to admit that the deadly efficiency of his ally was impressive. Both weapons had been exactly where he'd been assured they would be, the need for them accurately predicted. He weighed the gun in his hand once more; automatically calculating the density of the metals used, the numbers ricocheting through his brain, just as the bullet would. The clip had been full when he checked, so it was a little heavier than necessary.

He only needed two bullets.

He wouldn't walk out of this place alone.

A slight moan signaled a return to consciousness and Lex placed the gun firmly against Clark's shadowed temple with a sigh. It was time. Dark lashes fluttered and then Clark looked up, dazed at first, his eyes clearing quickly and flicking left as the presence of the weapon registered. He made no effort to struggle, simply whispering, "Lex...."

Clark's eyes closed and he waited silently.

Accepting Lex's choice.

Embracing their destiny.

// Four Months Earlier //

"Mr. Luthor, I want to thank you...."

The rat-faced man's timid voice trailed off as he took in the medical paraphernalia that kept Lex among the living. Standing a few feet from Lex, right where the security guard had left him before returning to the hallway, he looked overwhelmed by the disparity between the rich furnishings of the mansion and the state-of-the-art hospital bed. The regular beeping of monitors and the click of the dialysis machine that provided a backdrop to the occasional tapping on Lex's laptop only heightened the contrast.

Irritated at the delay, Lex scowled and barked, "What do you have for me, Edgar? Give me a good reason why I'm supposed to trust a man who's willing to sell out the highly dangerous Luthor patriarch to his potentially lethal son."

Tearing his gaze away from the digital readouts, Edgar flinched at the caustic words before holding out a small tin box. "This is what your father was looking for." When Lex nodded and waved at him to continue, he fumbled it open, tipping it to display a black crystal with a symbol etched into it. "One of his teams found a Mayan rain god statue in an underwater ruin off the coast of Honduras, and when they x-rayed it, this was inside."

"I arranged to get you out of prison and cleared of embezzlement charges for a rock?"

Closing the box, Edgar shrugged. "Lionel Luthor has a reputation for...changing his mind about deals. I'd heard you were a man of your word, and I took a chance that you wouldn't want to end up in prison taking the place of your father." Seeing that Lex was waiting for him to explain, he rushed on. "That symbol...on the stone. Your father's been searching everywhere they've shown up, Egypt, Central America, even a, uh, sacred Indian cave here in Kansas."

Lex nodded impatiently. "I'm aware that my father's been funding these expeditions for quite some time. Why? What does he hope to accomplish?"

"When I said you'd end up in prison instead of your father, I meant it literally. He's dying, you know, and he was planning on using the stone to switch bodies with you." Glancing around the room, Edgar grimaced. "Not a very good strategy from the looks of it."

Lex looked around at the equipment and shook his head. "My father's handiwork, I'm afraid. He failed to kill me, though, and that was a mistake on his part. I'll be back on my feet in another week. He won't be recovering, not according to his medical records. Go on; explain how a stone was supposed to change me into my father."

Twisting his hands nervously, Edgar stammered, "I've always kind of had a knack for pattern recognition. You know...like codes and ciphers, that sort of thing. The, uh, the mark on that black stone, uh, means water. That's the element of, you know, transformation... you know."

"And...?"

"Supposedly, if you hold the stone at the same time as someone else, you transfer minds. That's pretty much it for that stone and symbol, but there are three in all. Another one means fire, and then there's air." Holding up his hands, he framed the shape of a triangle. Mayan legend says you join the three and they'll open up a window to a place holding all knowledge and wisdom."

Holding out his hand, Lex waited for Edgar to place the small box on his outstretched palm. "Has this been tested?"

Edgar shook his head emphatically and tucked his hands behind his back, edging toward the door. "No, Mr. Luthor. It's all pretty much just legends, so far."

Eyes narrowing, Lex weighed the box in his hand as well as the trustworthiness of the pardoned felon. "I think you made a valid point earlier, Edgar. Assuming you're right and my father has been planning all along to steal my body to replace his dying one, then why would he suddenly choose to poison me? I'm the one who owns LuthorCorp, so it wouldn't make sense to transfer into anyone else, not if he wants money and power." Closing his fist around the box, he demanded, "Where are the other two?"

There was silence for a few moments before Edgar answered in a tremulous voice, "Uh...we've narrowed it down to somewhere in Egypt and possibly China."

Relaxing back against his pillows, Lex sighed in frustration. "That's not exactly what I'd call pinpoint accuracy, Edgar."

"No, Mr. Luthor."

Irritated, Lex motioned the nervous man away. "Well, they're my teams now. Find out what they need and make sure they get it. I want the other two stones."

With a quick nod, Edgar scurried from the room, leaving Lex with his beeping machines and small box. Opening it, he took a closer look at his prize. The symbol reminded him of those on the Kawatche cave walls, and that naturally steered his thoughts to Clark. He'd been missing since the day Lex had been poisoned, and Martha Kent had given no indication that she knew where he'd gone, even though the symbol burned into their field seemed to point to the caves again.

Lex was ready to grant that Martha's attention was being occupied by the fact that Jonathan had fallen into a coma the same day, but Clark was her son and her fatalistic acceptance of his disappearance wasn't right. When Clark hadn't appeared at the hospital to check on Lex, he'd known that something drastic had happened. The last words he'd heard from Clark had been, 'This friendship is over' but he was certain that would never stop Clark from making sure that Lex would survive the latest attempt on his life.

Coincidences. Lex didn't believe in them...not when so many fell into place in one short day. His father had a lot to answer for, and he hoped that Lionel hadn't been more successful disposing of Clark than he had been with Chloe or Lex. Lex was going to remain optimistic about Clark's chances; he'd escaped grave danger before against incredible odds.

In fact, Lex was confident that when Clark finally reappeared, he would be the one to answer those questions Lex had about legends, and the people who were living them.

// Three Months Earlier //

Lex paced around the secured pedestal examining his latest acquisition from all angles. He smirked as his eyes intently traced the familiar symbols edging the manuscript page. Hovering just above the case, his fingers itched to touch the aged vellum and confirm its reality. A throat clearing behind him saved Lex from that indiscretion.

"Mr. Luthor?"

Reluctantly abandoning the illuminated page, Lex turned to acknowledge his visitor. "Edgar. What do you have for me?"

Making no attempt to conceal his interest, the other man peered around Lex, trying to catch a glimpse of the treasure. "So, you were able to get it? I was almost certain that he wouldn't sell...claimed that it was priceless because it was the only surviving page. Now, granted it was from the fourteenth century...but I guess he must have just been holding out for a better offer."

"The collector was fortunate that he dealt with me and not my father. It cost me a hangover from too many glasses of vodka and a small fortune to buy something that Rasputin believed contained the secret of a path to unimaginable powers. Bargaining with my father would have cost the foolish man his life."

A shudder ran through the jittery man who adjusted his glasses. Muddy brown eyes went wide behind thick, heavy lenses. "Uh...well...we may have found something in Egypt. It's going to take some time getting the permits for the excavation site if we're going to work with the Office of Antiquities...."

"And if we bypass them?"

"The team could probably get in there in three, maybe four weeks. It's risky dodging the inspectors, but not impossible. There's a contact, expensive, but we'd be able to remove any finds."

"Do it."

Nodding quickly, Edgar began to back toward the door, wringing his hands nervously. "There's one more thing, Mr. Luthor. I was told that we aren't the only ones interested." At Lex's raised eyebrow, he blurted out. "Swann. He said he was approached by Virgil Swann."

With a dismissive wave, Lex sent the other man scurrying away. "Thank you, Edgar. I'll take care of it. Send me a report when the Egypt dates are final."

"Yes, sir."

Frowning, Lex waited until the door closed behind Edgar before taking a seat behind his desk. Unlocking his laptop's screen, he brought up a file containing a photograph of the manuscript page. He studied it for a moment before paging down to an x-ray image of the same page that revealed a second layer. Sitting back in his chair, Lex brushed his upper lip with his forefinger as he studied the simple map surrounded by additional symbols, and wondered where it would lead.

// One Month Earlier //

Wincing as his personal physician attached the dialysis lines to the two ports anchored in his chest, Lex tried to relax against the examination table and recover from the desert heat. The air-conditioned interior of the jet was welcome after another long day spent at the dig. Despite his discomfort, he never released the hawk-headed statuette he'd searched for and finally found, in spite of constant interference from rivals and governments. Turning it over, he studied the increasingly familiar symbols he'd found in the Kawatche caves and on an illuminated Russian manuscript.

The white-coated woman bending over him admonished, "Lex, you can't keep pushing your body like this. That poison would have killed anyone else and it did manage to shut down most of your systems before you started to recover. If you don't take stop to get your blood purified every seventy-two hours, the time you've been borrowing is going to become past due."

Waving her away impatiently, Lex continued to study his prize. "I'm here, Dr. Vaughn, hooked up to that damned machine. Just finish so that I can get cleaned up and rest before we get back." He grasped the side of the table as the jet banked and then leveled off at cruising altitude.

Rolling her eyes, the doctor turned away to monitor the whirring, beeping equipment, making notes on a laptop. Lex let the artifact rest in his lap as he closed his sun-blasted eyes for a few moments.

In a heartbeat, everything changed.

The jet lurched in an air pocket and the statuette tumbled from Lex's lap, shattering on the uncarpeted floor before Lex could catch it, his belated lunge dislodging the tubing so that blood splattered him and the surrounding area until the automatic shutoffs engaged. Dropping to his knees in frustration, he groped for the pieces, gaping in shock at the large crystal the destruction had revealed. His eyes widened as he realized he was holding what he'd been looking for, not just another clue to its location, as were so many earlier pieces they'd found in the last few weeks.

Fascinated by the play of light through the crystal, it was only a rough jerk on his arm, nearly causing him to drop it, that recalled Lex from his bemused wonder. He had no idea how long he'd been kneeling there, oblivious, but the tackiness of the blood drying on his chest hinted that it had been too long. "Lex, you need to...." The doctor's instructions were overridden by a second, harder jolt and the sound of the depressurization alarms. Her eyes wide, she tried to help Lex up while looking around for the required oxygen masks.

Shoving her back, Lex pointed her towards the seat she usually occupied, shouting over the siren blare, "Get strapped in, I'll be fine." Nodding in relief, she stumbled over, holding on to the examination table through the dips and bumps of turbulence. Lex watched her buckle safely before he rose to his feet and headed for his own, holding the crystal tightly. Their cabin had both bulkhead doors closed, so the air pressure hadn't dropped yet, but Lex knew it was just a matter of time. All he could do was hope his luck was better than the last time one of his planes went down.

When the rear door flew open without disengaging the locks, Lex knew that his luck had not improved. Hanging on to the seat stanchion and trying to wrestle himself in place against the suction threatening to pull him outside, Lex suddenly felt the crystal in his hand vibrate and then pull free before he could tighten his grip. Following its trajectory, his mouth dropped open in shock at the sight of Clark standing in the doorway, one hand outstretched to capture the flying crystal. Lex only had a moment to take in the dark-clad figure before feral eyes turned to him, the mouth that had once smiled at Lex roaring, "Mine!"

Another heartbeat and he was gone, and Lex lost his battle against the implacable forces of the air.

Dragged out into the sky with no hope or recourse, wind-burned tears flowed from disbelieving eyes until they closed, banning the sight of his imminent demise.

Impact stole his remaining breath, pressure any hope of recovery.

Darkness rushed in as a voice in his ear growled, "Mine."

. . .

The splinter of wood joined by the crack of broken glass was the soundtrack for Lex's return to consciousness. Those ominous noises were quickly overridden by the thud of boots and a barked command. "Stand back and put your hands behind your head!"

Lex wrenched his eyes open in time to see his security team fanned out in the entrance of his study, their weapons trained in the direction of his desk. With a groan, he forced himself up from the leather sofa to see who the intruder could be. At first sight, Lex issued an order of his own. "Stand down! Lower your weapons immediately!"

The head guard sputtered, "Sir? Are you...?"

"I said, 'stand down' and I meant it." With an effort, Lex rose to his feet, only swaying slightly as the room tilted and then settled. "There's just been a slight misunderstanding here. I'm not in any danger." He waved his guards away imperiously. "Please leave us alone. I'll call someone to come in and clean up later."

Nodding reluctantly, the head guard followed the others out, closing the study doors behind him. Lex turned back to the man, who stood with his arms crossed in the middle of the remains of Lex's desk. Brilliant green eyes focused on Lex as the other sneered, "My father was right. So weak."

It was instantly apparent to Lex that something had happened to change Clark. He held himself differently, confident and tall, and his handsome face had hardened. His form-fitting black clothing hinted at a Clark that Lex had only seen once before, a cocky, self-satisfied boy who had visited Lex and then driven off in a borrowed Ferrari. At that time, Lex had made the decision to let Clark's parents know what was happening. That didn't appear to be a current option as he watched Clark shove away the pieces of the desk and then punch a hole through the wooden floor to pull out the concealed safe. When Clark neglected to make any effort to conceal his differences, Lex knew something was very wrong. "Clark? What's going on?"

"Not Clark. Kal-El." There was no pause in Kal-El's movements as he ripped the door off the small safe. Reaching inside, he pulled out the black crystal that Lex had stored there before leaving for Egypt. Clenching it in his fist, he growled, "Mine."

The destruction and casual appropriation of his property sent a bolt of fury through Lex. His questions as to how he'd arrived at the mansion, as well as managed to survive falling out of a jet, were ignored in favor of the immediate issue. Taking a few steps closer, Lex demanded, "What the hell is going on? What makes you think you can just walk in here and break into my safe?"

"Yours?" Suddenly, Lex's arms were grabbed and he was being dangled six inches above the ground, being shaken by Kal-El as he demanded, "Those crystals belong to me! Where is the third?"

Bruised, ill, and exhausted, Lex groaned with the additional beating his abused body was taking. "Don't...know. Haven't...found...yet." He could feel the world receding again as his systems began to shut down. If Kal-El hadn't held on, Lex would have fallen when he was lowered back to the floor.

"What's wrong with you?"

Keeping his eyes closed to reduce the vertigo, Lex heard the voice of his former friend, and thought it might have held a tinge of concern. Hoping that was true, he explained, "Medication...room. Doctor...on...jet." Lex knew the pills would only be a temporary measure and that he needed to finish the interrupted treatment soon. "Water...rest."

Suddenly, he was being carried with surprising gentleness. "Where?"

"Upstairs...third...left." Lex laid his head against Kal-El's shoulder and kept his eyes closed, trusting that he wouldn't be dropped, at least not right away. He snapped back awake when he was deposited carefully on his bed. He sighed heavily as his tired, aching body sank into the luxurious mattress.

"Where is this medicine?"

Without opening his eyes, Lex pointed towards the bathroom. "Cabinet." A few seconds later, a bottle was pressed into his hand. He raised it to eye-level, squinted at it to verify it was the correct one, and then handed it back with a slight shake of his head, closing his eyes against the dizziness. "The other...and I need two with water." Once again, he was startled by the speed with which the requested pills and a glass of water were offered. A hand held him up long enough to swallow the pills with a mouthful of water, and then he was flat on his back again. "Thank you...Clark."

A growl reminded Lex that Clark wasn't in the room at that moment, and Lex regretted the slip when it was clear any lingering concern had been replaced by anger. "I am Kal-El, not that weakling, Clark Kent. Why do you have my crystals?" When Lex failed to respond fast enough, a blow across his face shocked a groan out of him. He could feel the skin split over his cheekbone and the blood trickle towards his ear as his captor continued his questions. "Why are you searching for the crystals?"

The darkness was closing in and Lex was unable to make his mouth form any useful syllables. As he slipped under, the final question left him even more confused. If the familiar stranger didn't know the answer, then why were they in the mansion?

"Who are you?"

. . .

"Listen, whoever you are. I was told Lex was hurt and needed a doctor and that's why I'm here. Now, get out of my way and let me do my job!" A few seconds later, Lex felt the mattress beside his hip depress and heard all-too-familiar grumbling begin. "What have you managed to do this time, you fool?"

"Toby?" With an effort, Lex opened his eyes to see the bloodshot eyes and slightly grizzled face of the doctor who'd patched him together more than once during his clubbing days...and afterwards when Smallville had decided Lex was fair game. "How'd you get here so fast?"

Prying back one of Lex's eyelids and flashing a penlight directly into his eye until the 'Anvil Chorus' started up in stereo, Toby filled in some missing details. "Your security guy...Raines...I think that's what he said...he called and said you needed me. I was already on my way when I got your page." A chilly stethoscope was applied, directly atop a bruise from the feel of it. "Breathe in...out. Again."

Fingers began to probe Lex's sides and abdomen, stopping when he hissed at a jolt of pain. "Okay, ribs are probably cracked on the right, but doesn't look like there's internal bleeding. Won't be able to tell for certain without some x-rays and blood tests, but if you are, it's probably a slow leak." Fingers tested the ports in Lex's chest and hummed noncommittally. "Smart man, Raines. Knows when to disobey an order. You want to explain to me why the police and EMTs weren't called in the first place?"

Not missing the impatient movement by the broad form standing silently behind Toby, Lex shook his head gingerly. "Too much...that's too hard to explain right now."

"Par for the course, I guess. When was your last hookup?"

"Hard to tell. It was over Egypt, but I didn't finish and I didn't exactly travel at normal speeds to get here." Lex chuckled, and then groaned in regret at the re-awakened nerve endings. "Got banged around a little afterwards."

An impatient growl interrupted. "Make him well. I need what he knows about what is mine."

Toby shot an irritated glance over his shoulder. "I'm not a miracle worker. Maybe you should have thought of that before you beat him up," he grunted in reply. The doctor narrowed his eyes when Lex shook his head in warning. Unwilling to submit completely, Toby snapped, "Since everyone in this godforsaken place, except for Raines, has been sent away, why don't you make yourself useful and move that equipment over here next to the bed?"

"I am no servant to be commanded by such as you!"

"Kal-El, please!" Lex's cry arrested the broad hand that was descending towards Toby's face. "He doesn't know who you are. It was a mistake, and he won't make it again. He's a doctor, not a diplomat."

Lex watched as Toby rose cautiously from the bed and then faced down an enraged Kal-El. "He should be in the hospital, but I know Lex, and he's probably already refused that option. Now he's smart enough to have state-of-the-art equipment here from his last run-in with people who wanted to kill him, but I need help with it. Are you going to help, or do I get Raines up here?"

Kal-El looked between Lex and the older man and then nodded curtly. "I will move it. Where?"

Toby pointed to the far side of the bed, away from the bathroom door. "It won't be as easy since Lex had the hospital bed moved out, so we'll improvise." Turning back to Lex, Toby asked, "The lab still set up?"

Lex nodded and waved vaguely towards the bedroom door. "Two down and to the left. X-ray machine's still there, too." He smiled when he saw Toby's eyes widen at Kal-El's casual repositioning of the heavy equipment. "Kal-El can carry me there if you think it's necessary." At Toby's raised eyebrow, Lex smirked and explained, "After some negotiation, we've come to a mutual agreement, of sorts. I'm going to help Kal-El find his missing item. He's going to listen to me whenever I explain how the world of humans works...and try not to kill me and my friends whenever he doesn't like what I tell him."

"So, am I going to be sorry that I answered that page?"

"I hope not, Toby. For all our sakes."

// Three Weeks Earlier //

"Toby?"

Lex wasn't sure what had roused him from a restless sleep, but the tall shadow that separated from the dark wood paneling and approached his bed gave him a hint. The anticipated voice was quietly imperious. "No, Alexander. It is I."

Sitting up, Lex hitched himself back to lean against the headboard and switched on the light beside the bed, wishing he'd worn more than boxers to bed. "What is it, Kal-El? Do you need something?" Lex had given up on Kal-El calling Lex anything but his given name. In his exalted opinion, abbreviating a name was a mark of disrespect, and limited to servants and slaves. In a way, the refusal was encouraging. As long as he remained 'Alexander' to Kal-El, there was a chance Lex could continue to influence him.

"I have been in a room containing images of the one you called 'Clark Kent.' Why?"

Lex winced as he recalled his former friend's reaction to finding the same room. When Clark had disappeared almost immediately after declaring their friendship over, Lex had locked the room back up and never entered it again. Based on Kal-El's questions, Lex was inclined to think that might have been ill-advised. "He was my friend. I wanted to know more about him."

Kal-El stood next to the bed and looked down at Lex, his green eyes darkening as he took in Lex's sleep-flushed skin. One tanned hand extended to graze lightly across Lex's closest shoulder. "It looked like more than friendship, Alexander."

Jerking away from the importunate caress, Lex shook his head in disagreement. "Clark and I were never anything more than friends." Struggling to keep his temper in check, Lex looked up into Kal-El's face and calmly asked, "Is there anything else? I'm tired and would like to go back to sleep."

"I want you." Fingertips dug into Lex's shoulder as Kal-El made his intentions clear. "I have waited and you are healed enough now."

Lex froze as Kal-El's words penetrated. A few months earlier, he would have done almost anything to hear those three words from Clark, but now they made him ill. The violent stranger that had taken Clark's body was not who Lex desired. Lex wanted the farm boy that had saved him more than once, who saw Lex like no one else in Smallville had...and had lied to Lex from the beginning. Even though he'd never trusted Lex, Clark had never willfully used his strength against Lex. Clark had never declared that he would rule the world as his long-dead father decreed. He had naively only wanted to do what was right, even if he'd made youthful blunders along the way.

"No." The blunt refusal burst free before Lex had thought about the consequences of refusing his volatile guest. The secrets Lex had pursued so relentlessly had been revealed, and they had not boded well for Lex...or the rest of the human race. So far, he had been able to keep the danger confined to the mansion, but each day that passed made it more difficult.

"You are mine to do with as I wish, Alexander." The words were growled into Lex's face as he was yanked up out of the bed and then dangled between Kal-El's hands, a new set of bruises blooming under the grip on his biceps. A violent shake emphasized Kal-El's feelings on the matter. "It was not a request."

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Lex prodded Kal-El's pride. "So you plan on being known as a ruler who needs to resort to rape? Don't you believe there will be someone willing to fuck you among your loyal subjects?" He watched the disbelief and rage wash over Kal-El's countenance and faced the fact that his refusal could have a brutal result. Lex had no choice...not if he was going to retain any ability to control Kal-El's actions. If Lex couldn't prevent his own rape, he had no hope of being able to manage something even more important...like saving the world from an alien conqueror. "Have you decided you would rather use my body than my knowledge?"

Lex's head thudded against the headboard as he was thrown back onto the bed. He groaned and then winced as he watched Kal-El tear the bedroom door from its hinges and throw it down the hallway as he left Lex behind. More crashes followed, the noise receding in the distance.

"What did you do now?" Toby peered around the splintered doorframe before entering the room.

Lex shook his head in disbelief as he tried to sit up. "Thanks for the benefit of the doubt. Basically, he wasn't happy when I told him my body wasn't his for the taking." He grimaced as Toby probed the back of his head for damage. "At least I was able to convince him I'm worth more to him as an advisor than as a bed warmer."

A screeching of metal and a rending crash from outside sent Toby to the window to see what was happening. After one look, he returned to help Lex out of bed. They both stood and watched as flames rose up in the center of the garden below. Another series of discordant noises and a second bonfire appeared a few yards away from the first.

"I think that was the Ferrari, Lex. Hard to be sure the way it was all twisted up like that."

Lex groaned as a third disaster unfolded below. "Damn it, now the Mercedes. The first one was definitely the Lamborghini. I recognized the seats."

Toby sighed and shook his head. "If this is what happens when he doesn't get laid, then what the fuck is he going to do when the President refuses to hand over the country?"

// Two Weeks Earlier //

Ever since I met you, I've been defending you, making excuses for you to people like Pete, like my parents. Telling them, 'You can trust Lex Luthor. He's a good guy. He's nothing like his father.' I was wrong.

The nightmare ended as it always did. Lex watched Clark walking away down an endless hallway, his figure receding until there was nothing left but Lex and his collection of Clark memorabilia. Knowing it was a partial memory translated to a dream never saved Lex from waking up with Clark's name on his lips, tasting of bitter regret.

Over the past week, Kal-El had revealed that according to Jor-El, his father's avatar, the discovery of Lex's continued investigations had been the final action that had led Kal-El's awakening. Clark's years of battling his birth father's demands had ended with the loss of Lex's friendship shortly after Pete had decided Clark's secret was too much for him to handle. Clark had lost all hope of finding someone willing, or strong enough, to bear the burden of his differences for love or friendship's sake.

Clark had come close to telling Lex on more than one occasion, only to have something happen to make him back away from that final step. Lionel's continued ability to influence or injure Lex had been the deciding factor, borne out by what had happened to Pete. Clark's secret had been too dangerous to share. Ironically, Clark had relinquished control to an entity so arrogant that he felt no need for secrecy. Everything Lex had ever wanted to know about Clark was now his for the asking, because Clark was...gone.

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, Lex sighed and climbed out of bed. He would use the extra hours to go through Edgar's latest results and check on the managers he'd appointed to run his company in his absence, hopefully before Kal-El joined him and distracted Lex with questions.

Throwing on a set of sweats, Lex padded downstairs in bare feet. The last few weeks had seen him wearing casual clothes in an odd return to his college days. No housekeeper or cook had meant living on sandwiches...and haphazard cleaning when absolutely needed. When Kal-El had complained, Lex pointed out that it was his own fault. Kal-El had a habit of lashing out in anger and injuring people and, as a result, Lex was not willing to endanger anyone new by bringing them into the mansion.

Secrecy was required to avoid alerting the authorities before Kal-El was ready to begin his conquest...or before Lex was able to stop him. Lex didn't care to end up at ground zero of the government's response to an alien invasion. Smallville and the surrounding area would be considered acceptable losses, so that meant restricting outside access to the mansion was critical. The three men and one alien fended for themselves, ordering clothing and food by phone or online to be delivered to the front gates. Lex's reputation as a rich eccentric, at least in the eyes of the farming community, had worked in his favor.

Entering the study, Lex halted for a moment at the sight of Kal-El stretched out on the leather sofa. He'd obviously fallen asleep while reading one of the books stacked haphazardly around him. Lex's library had been ransacked for information on humans, with an emphasis on military history and strategy. Kal-El was prone to declaring that humans were inferior in all ways to Kryptonians and using excerpts from the volumes to prove his point. Lex had been struck more than once in the past few days by the striking resemblance to Lionel's viewpoint when it came to humans and Luthors.

A small noise from the sleeping alien drew Lex closer. "Lex...." The sound of his name was mournful, a whimper in the night's silence. The light cast by the reading lamp was enough light to highlight the track of a tear across a golden cheek. As Lex watched, Kal-El's face softened into familiar lines and his name was repeated, "Lex." Drawn by hope, Lex stood over the younger man and wrestled with his need. With a sigh, the other opened his eyes and smiled up at Lex. For an instant, Lex glimpsed Clark lying there on the sofa, a sweet smile gracing his lips. All too soon, the alien's cruel sneer wiped it away, Kal-El's hard, calculating eyes assessing Lex for any weakness as he rose from the sofa. "What are you doing here, Alexander?"

Lex backed up a step but managed to answer in a steady voice, "I came down to check my email. I couldn't sleep." Kal-El had not attempted to force himself on Lex again, but he'd made it clear more than once he would take advantage of any indication that Lex had changed his mind. Lex made sure to avoid giving Kal-El any encouragement by standing too close. "I'm hoping that Edgar has been able to make some progress toward locating the artifact in China."

Kal-El narrowed his eyes and then nodded. "I am getting impatient at the delay. I have been considering flying there and looking for myself. It is unfortunate that the crystal will not resonate until it is released from its holding place, otherwise I would have all three already."

The thought of Kal-El rampaging through China searching for an unknown antiquity sent a shudder down Lex's back. To date, Kal-El had not seriously injured or killed anyone, but it was just a matter of time once he'd left the confines of the mansion. His short temper combined with a conviction of his superiority would wreak havoc on Earth's population unless Lex could discover a way to contain him safely. Deciding to try one of the oldest known methods for controlling a man, Lex moved closer and placed his hand in the center of Kal-El's broad chest. "Perhaps I can help you relax," he murmured suggestively while smoothing the black silk.

Kal-El's eyes widened and his mouth curved in a smile of triumph at Lex's capitulation. "Yes." His hands shot out to clamp down on Lex's shoulders. "Yes, I want that." Exerting steady, almost painful pressure, Kal-El forced Lex to his knees. "I will have your mouth now...and more, later."

Lex suppressed a wince as his knees connected with the hardwood floor, but he knew it was too late to change his mind. The offer had been made and accepted. Taking a deep breath, he reached out to unbutton Kal-El's black jeans, the heavy length already straining at the zipper. It wasn't a seduction. There was no teasing and no effort to engage in foreplay. Kal-El had forgone any underwear and his thick erection forced its way out before the zipper was lowered halfway. Another tug and it fell forward heavily, freed completely when Lex tugged the jeans below Kal-El's hips.

A rumbled growl sounded above Lex's head. His aching shoulders were released to allow Kal-El to hold Lex's head still and guide the swollen head to his waiting mouth. It was a tight fit and Lex choked when Kal-El thrust forward before Lex was prepared. He recovered quickly and raised one hand to the base to stroke Kal-El, trying to control the depth as the alien continued to thrust with no regard for Lex's comfort. Fortunately, for Lex, it was over quickly and he swallowed convulsively as Kal-El shoved in as deeply as he could and then released in thick, steady pulses.

Without a word, Kal-El pulled his jeans back up, tucking himself away, but not zipping. As Lex dropped back on his heels and wiped his face on his sleeve, Kal-El stepped around him and headed for the door. Just before he exited, he announced, "I will sleep now."

Lex slowly rose to his feet and looked around the empty room before laughing in disbelief. "You're welcome, Kal-El. Anytime." Stumbling to the bar, he poured a shot of vodka and threw it back with a twist of his wrist. He shook his head and poured another, holding it in his hand as he mocked himself bitterly, "That certainly went well. Great career move."

The second shot went the way of the first, and Lex wiped his mouth again, his mouth twisting against his sleeve.

"Can't wait until he fucks me."

// One Week Earlier //

Alone in his study, freed from the usual constraints while Kal-El slept upstairs, Lex read the email message again, trying to make sense of the enigmatic phrasing. It was the third one he'd received in the past three days, the third since Martha Kent had been turned away at the front gate for the last time. The threat of a restraining order had finally convinced her that she was never going to gain entrance to the mansion, despite her daily plea to speak to Lex about her missing son.

Love must overthrow destiny. Green death, red danger, black hope. Earth conceals other conceals choice conceals freedom. Agreed?

Finger hovering over the delete key, Lex paused to read the confusing communication again. If not for the address of the sender, it would have ranked as one of the more creative pieces of spam to slide past his filters. The fact that Dr. Virgil Swann was sending Lex cryptic messages bought the email a little more time as Lex attempted to decipher it once more. The preceding email had spoken of falling stars and burdens, while the first had introduced Swann and detailed his interest in men who had conquered the world before they were thirty. Each time, the parallels to his current dilemma had interested Lex and he was convinced that Swann knew something about Kal-El.

Lex's investigation of Swann had revealed an eccentric genius who had withdrawn from the world into a philosophical ivory tower. Swann's occasional pronouncements of life on other planets and receipt of communications from outer space had earned him the scorn of the scientific establishment and he'd sunken into obscurity only to resurface in Lex's email.

It was impossible to ignore Swann and his reference to green death. Not when Lex had already concluded that the reason Kal-El had melted the lock to the collection room, as well as the walk-in safe in Lex's study, was the presence of green meteorite samples. Those actions, coupled with Lex's past observations of the weakness that had struck Clark in the presence of the mineral or anyone affected by exposure to the meteorites, had convinced Lex that he had found a weapon to use against Kal-El. The difficulty would be in obtaining any of the material. Swann's missive seemed to indicate that he was aware of Kal-El's weakness...and might be able to help.

Lex read the few short lines again, still considering, still trying to decide.

When Lex had opened the attachment in the email, the photo of the pictograph in the Kawatche caves had hit too close to home. The representation of Naman and Segeth entwined in eternal battle brought back too many memories of Lex and Clark before the end of their friendship, and reminded Lex of his alternate interpretation of the legend. Over the past few weeks, it had become all too clear that Lex was the only one standing between Kal-El and the Kryptonian's quest for world domination.

The difficulty was that Lex was losing his ability to influence the alien's decisions.

Shifting uncomfortably in his desk chair brought more recent memories to the fore. As Kal-El had learned more about Earth and the people that he intended to rule, more memories implanted by Jor-El had emerged. Clark's past encounters with humans were used as object lessons in distrust and betrayal. With each incident recalled, Kal-El had become more unruly, his anger taking longer each time to dissipate. Lex had found himself being used as a surrogate. Kal-El had no compunction in demanding that Lex bend over his desk and present himself to the alien for an immediate fuck. The experience of being taken dry, with no chance to appeal for consideration, had taught Lex to keep a tube of lubricant with him at all times. Each time it happened, it left Lex feeling disgusted with his choice to appease Kal-El instead of insisting on being treated with respect.

Then Lex would remind himself how much there was to lose if he let his emotions rule his behavior.

A list had appeared on the laptop Kal-El had appropriated for his own use. The list grew longer each day...and Martha and Jonathan Kent's names appeared at the top. When Lex had caught sight of it a few days earlier, he'd asked Kal-El about it. The answer had left him stunned...and convinced that his name was likely the first, probably entered in a transparent font. After all, when it came to lying and exposing Clark to danger, Lex was much guiltier than the parents who'd protected the young alien from harm for most of his life.

If anyone deserved to be executed for past crimes against the new ruler, it was Lex.

He'd learned of Clark's refusal to obey his birth father's avatar, resulting in the destruction of his spaceship and the unfortunate loss of Martha's baby. The summer spent rampaging through Metropolis to escape Jor-El's influence, Clark's fear of discovery before and during Lex's sojourn in Belle Reve...followed by a failed rescue attempt, Lex's continued investigations and accusations; they'd all contributed to Clark's despair and final capitulation. Every time Lex had grown angry at Clark's duplicity, he had been reminded of Clark's tendency towards self-sacrifice. Each lie could be matched against a time Clark had placed himself in danger and risked exposure to save someone's life...especially Lex's...and the balance would always fall in Clark's favor.

Lex wanted Clark back.

Lex wanted the young man who had fought to do the right thing, despite the mistakes made along the way.

Lex wanted another chance to help Clark with his burden, instead of hounding him for his secrets.

Lex wanted to learn whether Kal-El had spoken the truth about Clark's feelings for Lex, whether Clark could possibly love him after everything that had happened between them.

He selected Reply.

He typed one short word. It was only three letters long.

He selected Send.

// Earlier that day //

Lex woke from one nightmare to find himself caught in another. Unfortunately, it was all too real and he knew that he couldn't escape it by returning to sleep.

Kal-El stood next to Lex's bed, his voice hard and rough in the darkness before dawn. "I want your mouth, Alexander. Now."

The edges of the dark dream still lingered, flames licking around mass destruction, the wailing of children by the bodies of their parents, and looming over all of the devastation...the cruel visage of Kal-El. Lex kept any comments about Kal-El's peremptory command to himself and switched on the light so that he could see what he was doing. Stumbling into Kal-El or fumbling during the soulless exchanges would earn Lex more bruises, and he was still recovering from his collision with the wall the day before. Kal-El had resented the reminder that he needed to wait until Edgar reported in.

As the days had passed, it had become apparent that Kal-El had been in constant communication with Jor-El. Although Kal-El kept the location of the meetings secret, Lex suspected the caves were involved, especially with the information he'd been able to glean from Swann's messages. Kal-El's temper was volatile after the meetings and, more than once, Lex had caught Kal-El staring at him with a proprietary gleam in his eyes.

"Take it, Alexander." Kal-El thrust forward into Lex's hand as he eased the straining zipper downward. The alien growled above Lex's head, "My father claims that I am weak because you still live, but I will choose who is to live or die, not him. He insists you have outlived your usefulness, but something inside tells me otherwise. "

Opening his mouth as Kal-El directed, Lex looked up and studied Kal-El's face while his tongue and lips moved automatically. Hearing that he was alive due to a whim was less than heartening, unless Lex let himself believe that something of Clark was still left inside Kal-El. Swallowing convulsively, Lex barely managed to avoid choking as Kal-El jerked and poured himself down Lex's throat. Satisfied, Kal-El shoved Lex away and left the bedroom without a word.

Lex got up and locked himself into the bathroom to vomit. Purged of the latest violation, he brushed his teeth and then examined at himself in the mirror. The purple bruises of exhaustion under his eyes vied with the rainbow colors along his cheekbone and jaw. His reflection held despair, hopelessness creeping around the edges. He'd always thought he was stronger than that, but he'd finally faced the fact that he needed to believe Clark was protecting him somehow, just to be able to keep going.

He couldn't lose hope. Clark was still in there and would return.

. . .

When Kal-El sauntered into the study, shortly after breakfast, Lex greeted him with the latest news from his email. "Edgar believes he's narrowed down the location of the artifact to a temple outside of Beijing."

Kal-El nodded in satisfaction. "Then we will go there, now." He gestured to Lex impatiently and insisted, "Hurry and put your warm clothing on. It will be cold when we fly."

As closed his laptop and rose from his chair, he asked, "Are we taking the other two crystals?" He kept his question deliberately casual. "I wasn't sure if you would be comfortable leaving them here since the safes have been...disabled."

Lex didn't know where Kal-El had hidden the crystals, or even if they were still in the mansion. As a result, Kal-El's response was everything Lex had hoped for when he'd ventured the suggestion. "We will take them to my father for safekeeping."

"I'll go get my coat and hat and meet you back here in a few minutes." Lex barely kept the exultation out of his voice at the success of his ploy. Now Lex had to rely on Dr. Swann and his ability to carry out his portion of the plot.

. . .

Kal-El released Lex abruptly in the depths of the cave, the low-level lighting installed by Lionel barely revealing Kal-El's lips as they curled in disdain at Lex's inadvertent stumble. Contempt for human frailties reflected in Kal-El's choice of garments, a light short-sleeve shirt, black jeans, and boots all that he wore, while Lex was bundled inside a heavy coat and hat. "Wait here." Confident that Lex would obey his guttural command, Kal-El advanced to a wall that Lex had noticed on previous visits, the one containing an octagonal slot in the middle of a ring of symbols.

Pressing his palm over the slot, Kal-El held it there while the symbols lit up and began to rotate in graduated rings. Moving quickly, he selected three of the symbols, one on each ring, causing them to change to blue, red, and yellow. The graduated rings reversed their rotation until they were spinning in alternating directions until the three symbols he'd touched lined up to the left of the octagonal groove. With a grating sound, the cave wall to Kal-El's left opened, a blinding white light emerging from the depths of the hidden chamber. Without a pause, Kal-El stepped inside, disappearing from Lex's view.

Lex had been fascinated by Kal-El's actions, but the alien's exit from the main room spurred Lex into action. Spinning around, he quickly located the pictograph of Naman and Segeth and hurried to it. Once there, Lex scanned the area for anything left for him by Dr. Swann, but he saw nothing but rocks and dirt. Frustrated, he kicked the rock directly beneath the two-headed beast, laughing sardonically at his inept search technique after he heard a hollow 'thunk.'

Tipping the faux rock over, Lex found a black crystal, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and a gun. The clip next to it held bullets with a greenish cast and Lex remembered, green death, red danger, black hope. Swann had provided the weapons and Lex had manipulated the opportunity. Now all Lex had to do was act.

Loading the gun, he thrust it into the back of his pants, anchored beneath his belt and concealed by his coat. Yanking his hat off, Lex shoved it into a coat pocket before tucking the black crystal inside his right fist, and then he hurried back to where Kal-El had left him. It had been none too soon. Kal-El walked out of the blinding light a few seconds later and stepped forward far enough to allow the wall to close behind him.

"My Lord Kal-El." Lex dropped to one knee and offered his right hand in obeisance, something he'd never offered Kal-El before. After a moment of puzzlement, Kal-El smiled superciliously and nodded his head as he accepted Lex's actions as his due. Extending his right hand, he accepted Lex's pledge and then roared in rage at the touch of the black crystal. Pursuing his advantage, Lex jumped to his feet and clenched Kal-El's hand tight, keeping the crystal anchored against the alien's skin.

A bluish-purple light engulfed their hands and Kal-El writhed in place, his mouth open in a silent scream of rage and agony. Lex's hand dropped away and he watched in horror as Kal-El's head and torso began to split into two, both beings bathed in a searing, blue glow. The black shirt was a victim of the stress of separation and the pieces fell away to the floor unnoticed. The two sections roared incoherently at each other and began to struggle for dominance, staggering about on their shared legs.

Lex slowly backed away from the combatants until the rock wall was against his back. As each second passed, it became clearer to him which of the two was Kal-El. His face was contorted in vicious lines, his eyes flaring as red as the fiery symbol emblazoned on his chest. He raged, "Humanity has made you weak!"

The other was silent, the strain evident on his face, green eyes brilliant beneath a film of tears as he struggled to block the blows from Kal-El. Only once during the battle, Clark's desperate eyes met Lex's, and the mouth that had spewed venom all too often the past days gasped, "Lex."

Kal-El spared a glance in Lex's direction and sneered, "You will die for this."

Any further threats from Kal-El were choked off when Clark cried out, "No!" and placed his hands around Kal-El's throat in an implacable grip. The alien conqueror weakened, his fingernails scraping ineffectually at Clark's arms until there was a brilliant flash of light and Clark was left swaying, alone in his body once more. He stood there swaying for just a second before he slumped to his knees.

"Lex?" Pleading eyes rose to Lex's, searching for answers and absolution, and then Clark dropped to the rocky floor as if he were a life-size puppet with broken strings, silent in the cave's night.

. . .

He only needed two bullets.

He wouldn't walk out of this place alone.

Clark's eyes closed and he waited silently.

Accepting Lex's choice.

Embracing their destiny.

// One month later //

The buzz of the intercom interrupted Lex's review of the quarterly figures. "He's at the perimeter again, sir. Same place as always."

A click of the button and Lex dismissed the warning by the head of his personal security. "Thank you, Raines."

Every day at 4:00 PM, as regular as clockwork, Lex set aside his work and resigned himself to aimless wandering through the mansion. He'd long since given up on any possibility of concentrating while Clark was sitting outside the ironwork fence, silently leaning against the trunk of the tree he'd adopted for his nightly stalking. Lex was aware that Clark was most likely using his x-ray vision to watch him, and that he would stay out there until Lex retired to bed. Every night, shortly after the lights went out in Lex's bedroom, Clark would rise to his feet and walk away...without ever looking back.

Lex had thirty days of security footage to prove it.

Lex supposed that he possibly could have solved at least part of the problem by working at the plant or moving to Metropolis where Clark's ability to watch him would be restricted by distance or additional security. Of course, when Lex really thought about it, Clark's abilities didn't require him to sit outside the mansion to watch. He could probably watch Lex just as easily sitting on the couch in his loft. Instead, rain or shine, Clark would be out there every night, waiting for Lex to let him in.

Clark's first arrival was the day after he'd returned Lex to the mansion. After the short flight, Clark had carefully placed Lex on his feet, just inside the gate, and waited silently for Lex to speak. They hadn't exchanged any words in the cave after Lex had ordered Clark to get up, Lex holding the loaded gun on the younger man at all times. When Clark had offered no resistance, Lex had finally replaced the unloaded gun and the ammunition under the fake rock, vowing to retrieve it later. Lex would have taken the weapon with him, but as long as the refined green meteorite was present, Clark's powers were absent...and Lex had wanted to get back to the mansion as soon as possible.

Head bowed and eyes lowered, Clark had stood in front of Lex wearing nothing but his jeans and boots, the chill of the approaching night having no effect on his alien body. Shuffling nervously, Clark had begun, "Lex, I...."

"No, Clark. I don't want to talk about it...now. You need to go home. Your mother has been worried about you."

Flinching at Lex's harsh tones, Clark had tried again, still not meeting Lex's eyes. "But, I'm...."

Lex had shouted, his control gone after too many days of stress and repressed anger. "No! Leave!" Spinning around, Lex had marched up the driveway and through the door held open by Toby, never looking back until he was safely inside. Standing in the doorway, he'd watched Clark waiting there. Clark had looked as if the weight of the world were on his broad shoulders. It wasn't until Raines had activated the gates remotely, making it clear that he was expected to leave, that Clark had finally shuffled away.

The next day, at 4:00 PM, probably after Clark had finished with school and his farm chores for the day, he'd shown up at the gate asking to speak to Lex. Entry had been refused, and Clark took up his vigil, staying far longer than Lex had expected. He'd arrived walking, and he'd left walking, with no evidence of his powers being used beyond the suspected enhanced vision and hearing.

Martha Kent's attempts to thank Lex for his patience and help had been ignored just as her adopted son's were. Lex didn't begrudge Jonathan Kent's restoration to health, but he'd sometimes hoped the man was being plagued by nightmares about worldwide destruction. It wouldn't have seemed fair for Lex to be the only one. The only other person almost as persistent was Lois Lane, who'd been seeking information about her cousin's death. Lex had refused to discuss Chloe Sullivan, simply referring Ms. Lane to the DA's office for answers about Lionel Luthor's involvement.

He'd healed completely and no longer needed his blood filtered, so Toby had been sent away after two weeks of non-stop muttering about post-traumatic stress disorder and the need for Lex to reach closure on the abuse he'd suffered at the hands of Kal-El. Lex had refused any referral to a psychiatrist. Even Toby's recommendation wasn't enough for Lex to overcome his prejudice against the profession after his sojourn at Belle Reve. Raines was now the only other person in the mansion aware of what had happened, and Lex had attempted to limit Raines' exposure to as-needed during those long weeks.

Finding himself standing in front of the bar and reaching for a tumbler, Lex suddenly grabbed one of the cut glass decanters and threw it across the room, enjoying the sound of shattering glass. A second one quickly followed and it wasn't until the third was in his hand that he looked up to see Clark standing in the doorway of the study, his green eyes frantically searching the room for any danger to Lex.

Lex sighed and set the decanter back down. His voice was quiet and resigned. "What are you doing in here, Clark?" Before Clark could answer, the sound of running feet in the hallway grew louder and Lex held up his hand for silence. When his security team arrived with Raines at the head, Lex calmly informed them that he was unharmed. "I'm fine, Raines. Good work. You can return to your stations." As he observed Clark flinching away from Raines, Lex couldn't help feeling satisfied at the evidence that the meteorite rock bullets that the security team had been issued were effective.

With the doors to the study closed, Lex nodded to Clark. "Well?"

Looking down at his feet, Clark shrugged. "I heard the glass breaking...and I was afraid that you'd get hurt." Shrinking into himself, he looked up at Lex, his eyes pleading for understanding. "You've never given me a chance to try to apologize for what I did...and I...I miss you, Lex." He held out one hand in supplication and Lex was disturbed to see it shaking from emotion.

Walking back to his desk without answering, Lex opened the lead box on the corner and removed a gold signet ring with a large, faceted green stone. He slid it on his left ring finger before he turned back around to face Clark. As he leaned against the desk, Lex kept his face expressionless as he replied, "You were afraid that I might be hurt? Isn't it a little late for that, Clark?"

Shamefaced, Clark nodded reluctantly. "I don't remember everything that happened, Lex. It was like...I was caught inside of a nightmare and I couldn't wake up, but I...I...." Suddenly, he dropped to his knees, his head bowed. "I never wanted to hurt you like that, Lex. Please believe me."

Lex felt himself wavering at the sight of Clark's distress, but there had been too much pain and distress on his own behalf for Lex to forgive his former friend so easily. He deliberately ignored the voice in the back of his head that tried to remind him how much he'd wished for Clark to return during those days and nights with Kal-El. Straightening up, he advanced to within a foot of Clark and stood in front of him, waiting. The ring on his hand flared with a green light and he heard Clark choke. Irresolute, Lex watched Clark shudder until he finally ground out between clenched teeth, "Kal-El found it very easy to hurt me. He took what I'd always wanted to give you willingly."

Clark's head fell back on his shoulder as he looked up at Lex, his face taking on a greenish cast, veins throbbing and writhing beneath his skin. He shook as if palsied, but he never tried to move away from the ring. The tremors caused Clark to stutter as he asked, "Why didn't...you j-j-just k-k-kill me? I...deserved it." A tear ran down his agonized face. "You can hurt me, Lex. Punish me. You c-c-can...do anything. I w-w-won't stop...you."

Lex bent over far enough to allow him to throttle Clark with his left hand. Clark still offered no resistance, his breath whistling in his throat as his airways began to close off due to the ring. Clark's bloodshot eyes rolled back in his head as he began to convulse, and Lex followed him down to the floor, never releasing his grip as Clark toppled over. He knelt and watched Clark jerk as he struggled to breathe, and then hissed, "I could rape you right now, Clark. I could shove my cock down your throat and my fist up your ass and you wouldn't stop me, would you?"

Somehow, Clark found enough breath to wheeze, "N-n-not rape, not m-m-murder. T-t-told you...d-d-do it." That final declaration seemed to take all of Clark's remaining strength. His eyes closed and he stopped breathing.

With an inarticulate cry, Lex fell back on his heels and tore his hand away from Clark's throat. He scrabbled at his hand and ripped the ring free, throwing it across the room. Reaching down, he pulled Clark up into his arms, folding over him and keening in broken phrases. "Sorry...sorry, Clark. I know it wasn't you, it wasn't you...sorry. It was him. Forgive me, Clark, forgive me."

With a racking cough, Clark began breathing again and then he hugged Lex back, rocking with him and sobbing out, "Lex...Lex, sorry...please...love you. Please stop, Lex. Love you so much. Sorry." Pulling back carefully, Clark rearranged himself so that he could hold Lex closer, the two of them ending up lying on the floor with Lex half over Clark, his head on Clark's shoulder. They hugged each other tightly and tried to get their emotions under control. Finally, they were both silent, content to listen to each other breathe.

After a while, Clark suggested, "Do you want to move to the couch, maybe? This floor's probably kind of hard and cold for you."

His face half-buried against Clark's chest, Lex grumbled, "That would require moving and besides, you're warm...and a pretty good cushion, too."

Chuckling, Clark shook his head. "All right, then I'll move us. Just tell me where you want to end up. Couch or...bed?" The last was offered tentatively, as if Clark were afraid that it would force the issue back out in the open, but he still wanted Lex to have a choice.

Lex stiffened and then slowly relaxed. "Can you stay? Your parents?"

Rubbing his hand along Lex's spine, Clark assured him, "I'll stay as long as you'll let me. Don't worry about my mom and dad. We've...talked. They know what happened, what I could remember anyway. I told them that I...need you...need to be with you...and that I might not come home some night if things worked out." He shrugged carefully, not wanting to dislodge Lex accidentally. "It's not like I've been around there much anyway."

With a sigh, Lex pushed himself up. "Then I choose bed. I...we still have some talking to do and maybe if we do it without clothes...and in the dark...we'll actually stick around until the end. I know that I'd like to hold you...if nothing else."

Clark's hand rose to lightly brush over the crown of Lex's head. "I've wanted to hold you since I woke up in the cave." He blinked lazily as he smiled up at Lex. "And kissing. I've never kissed you and I'd really like to do that, too."

Lex nodded and leaned down, stopping with his lips an inch away from Clark's. "Yes, kissing most definitely. I never kissed him. I...never wanted to." He closed the distance and brushed his lips across Clark's, catching his full lower lip and nibbling it gently. Pulling back, he searched Clark's eyes. "Well?"

Clark's answer was to sit up slowly and pull Lex into his arms to return the kiss with interest. "More. Let's go upstairs." Releasing Lex, he rose to his feet and pulled Lex up after him. Slowly, slipping an arm around each other's waist, they exited the study and headed for the stairs, stopping each few steps to reconfirm that kissing was definitely on the evening's agenda.

. . .

Lex had been right. Secrets could be shared much more easily in the dark.

"Dr. Swann sent me an email. He wants me to go see him in New York City. He says that he has something for me. I...don't want to go by myself."

"I'll go with you, Clark. I want to talk to him myself. It turns out that he knows something about my poisoning. He hasn't said anything directly, but I think he's the one who arranged it because he thought I was a danger to you with my investigations."

"I guess he did help this time, but I'm afraid that something will happen and that third crystal will show up. How do we stop that from happening? Jor-El...he's so powerful for something that lives behind a wall in a cave."

"We stay away from the caves for now and we'll work out something together. Okay? No going off trying to save the world by yourself. You need to stick around and help me make sure my father stays in prison where he belongs. When we bring Chloe out of protective custody, you can help keep her safe until after she testifies. Just don't let anything slip to that cousin of hers."

"No problem. Lois is not one of my favorite people. I'm really sorry that your dad said that to you, told you that you'd never be able to trust anyone ever again. You do know that you can trust me, right?"

"Yeah, I do. It's taken us a long time to get here, though. It's funny. Do you remember when I told you once that I thought there could be another interpretation of the Kawatche legend? I had wondered if maybe Segeth was the hero of the story. Looks like I may have been at least partially right."

"Partially? I don't agree, Lex. You're the one who made everything happen. Kal-El's gone and Jor-El failed."

"We made it happen, Clark. You were in there all along. You gave me enough of an edge that I could put it all together...starting with catching me while I was falling out of a jet. That wasn't Kal-El. That was you, saving me, just like always."

"I don't always succeed, Lex. I've failed you more than once. Belle Reve...."

"You try, Clark. That's all anyone has a right to expect from you, even me. Unfortunately, we both have fathers who've tried to mold us into something they wanted. Maybe together, we can overcome that conditioning and make ourselves into something better."

"I really like that idea. You know, this really feels great just laying here with you. I haven't been able to sleep very much for days, and I feel like I might be able to now. There's one more thing I just thought of, though. What did you do with all those lists and plans Kal-El was putting together? You deleted them, right? Lex? Right?"

"First thing tomorrow morning. I promise. I guess I wasn't quite ready to give up on the whole 'conquering the world before age thirty' ambition. Now that I have you...I figure it's an even trade."

"Okay. And after you finish deleting, maybe we can move beyond kissing?"

"Anytime you're ready, Clark. We'll take it slowly."

fin

***

Notes: Coda request from hils: Coda for Crusade. I'd love to see Lex actually meet Clark as Kal-El instead of just seeing the crystal disappear from his plane. Many thanks to my beta, jakrar, any remaining mistakes are all mine.

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein. The characters of Lex Luthor and Clark Kent as well as any supporting characters are the property of their creators and DC Comics. Gough/Millar Inc and the WB Network TV own Smallville. Any deviations (or deviant behavior) from the originals, however, is mine.

Feedback is both welcome and appreciated.