Clark should have known that it was a bad idea to come see Lex, because lately it seemed as though anything involving Lex came to a bad end. Even his relationship with Lana was crumbling, and no matter what Lana insisted upon, Lex had a part in it.

Lana was the reason Clark was here at the mansion. Since she'd gone missing, he'd hoped that maybe Lex had a clue where she was. They'd been working on the spaceship together--not that she'd actually told Clark. That was yet another secret in the rapidly growing list of things that they hadn't trusted each other with.

But now, as he walked into Lex's office to find Lex being held at gunpoint by two officers, he thought it probably would have been better if he'd looked for Lana elsewhere. By the look on Lex's face, he thought so, too.

"Get out!" Lex shouted, waving emphatically with his hand.

Clark didn't. He have should have, especially when he took another few steps forward, only to be hit by the debilitating effects of Kryptonite. As the effects began to overtake him, he tried valiantly to stay on his feet, but the pain only seemed to worsen as he stumbled, and he ended up dropping to his knees.

Clark looked up to see the male police officer holding a piece of meteor rock in his hand. He muttered a pained denial, glancing up at it. How was it possible that his timing was this bad?

The man holding the rock looked down at him, his eyebrows wrinkling in surprise. He was an uncommonly large man and big enough to be intimidating. The girl at his side had her dark hair tightly pulled back, giving her the look of someone who was all-business. Lex, on the other hand, was clearly forcing himself to remain stoic and calm, even if Clark thought he could make out a few beads of perspiration on his forehead--or maybe that was just because his sight was going blurry from the Kryptonite exposure. To Clark's horror, the man looked down at the Kryptonite in his hand. Clark felt a sinking feeling as he began to wonder if he'd been looking too obviously at the rock. Groaning, he mentally berated himself for having been so obvious about his weakness.

"This hurt you?" the man asked with a small grin. His face was grim and feral--completely without remorse. Even in a police officer's uniform, he looked the part of a criminal.

Clark grunted as the man moved forward and squatted before him, holding the rock closer. He couldn't hold in the gasp of pain that burst from him when the rock was pressed to his skin.

"Funny, I was just telling Luthor how these rocks came down with that ship. Did these rocks do something to you, too? Did they ruin your life like they ruined mine?" he asked coldly.

"Let him go. He's got nothing to do with this," Lex said quickly, his voice even. "You don't want to hurt another person."

The man laughed. "If this doesn't succeed, and if I don't prove that I was correct, then I'm going to jail anyway. One more person isn't going to make a difference."

"You don't need him. Just let him go," Lex reasoned calmly, putting his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

Slowly, the man stood up, though his eyes remained on Lex. As soon as the man was standing and backing away, Lex moved forward, though he too kept his eyes on his opponent. "Come on, Clark," he said quietly as he kneeled down next to him. "Get up."

The meteor rock was still too close, preventing Clark from finding the strength he needed to rise. Every effort left him gasping, and he finally ended up falling back to the ground, exhausted. He probably would have remained there, had not Lex slipped his hands under him, pulling him up through what Clark suspected was sheer force of will, as he wasn't particularly light.

Once Lex had hauled him up and further away from the rock, Clark was able to stand enough to take his dead weight off of Lex, even if Lex still had to help support him. His blood felt as if it was boiling in his veins, but he clenched his teeth and fought the pain as he waited for what was coming next.

"Where's the ship?" the officer asked again, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Lex.

Lex's expression remained stoic. "I don't know what you're talking about."

At Lex's denial, the man's face twisted in anger and frustration. "You'd make one hell of a politician; it almost seems as if you believe your own lies," he spat in aggravation, his grip tightening on the gun.

Clark jerked when he felt Lex tighten his hold on him. A moment later Lex was yanking him forward towards the wall. Clark forced himself to follow, dragging his feet along at as quick a pace as he could manage, even if he didn't understand what Lex was doing. Only when he saw the wall open to reveal a room did he realize what Lex intended.

The shot that rang out before they were able to dive through the doorway stopped them both. Lex probably could have made it alone, Clark realized, but he'd been slowed down by having the extra weight hanging on him.

As soon as the gunshot rang out, Lex tensed beside him, jerking backwards a few inches. Clark saw why when he noticed the bullet lodged in the wood paneling of the wall a mere foot from their faces. The sight made him swallow hard, and he made more of an attempt to stand on his own two feet.

"I'll put a bullet through both of your brains if you don't tell me where it is," the man threatened.

"Flynn, this isn't worth more lives," the female police officer muttered, her tone a little nervous. Clark followed her gaze when it shifted across the room, and he was horrified to see the fallen body there. He didn't know who it was, but he suspected that it had been someone who had been in Lex's office when these two people broke in.

If just a few things had gone differently, it could have been him.

"I'm going to prove that I'm not crazy," the man replied coldly. "And once the world knows what I know, they'll understand why I did this." His attention turned back to Lex as he strode forward to stand near him. "Tell me where it is, or I'll kill him," he told Lex, pushing the gun towards Clark.

Clark swallowed. He was scared, probably more so than he'd ever been. One pull of that trigger and it would be all over, because with the rocks nearby, there would be no second chances.

Lex's indrawn breath subtle, though his tightened grip on Clark was not. "Warehouse forty-one," he said softly after a drawn-out pause.

The man's eyes seemed to glitter with a deadly satisfaction, and Clark couldn't hold back the shiver that surfaced when he saw that emotion. No one other than Lex seemed to notice, and after a moment Flynn and the girl moved by Clark and Lex to the room beyond. "Give me the remote to it," he ordered.

Lex moved one hand to his pocket, though he still maintained a firm grip on Clark as he did so. His eyes never leaving Flynn's face, he withdrew a slim remote. "You won't find what you're looking for in that warehouse," he told Flynn.

"I'd better," Flynn replied, shoving Lex and Clark forwards into the room.

Once in the room, Lex helped Clark down so that he was sitting on the mattress. As soon as he did, Clark let his legs give out, relishing in the feel of the mattress beneath him as he lay down on it. He knew he should try to stay sitting up, but the rock was sapping his strength.

The gunshot that rang out startled him into opening his eyes, only to see that Flynn had shot out the controls to the room. "What the hell was that?" Lex shouted.

"You think this room only keeps people out?" Flynn asked, waving his gun in the air for emphasis. "It can keep people in just as easily."

A shadow of frustration passed over Lex's face, though it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. With a sigh, he glanced at Clark. "You've got the information that you want, so why not just let him go?" Lex asked, gesturing to Clark.

"If that information is wrong, then you're going to pay," Flynn replied, heading towards the door.

"It's not there!" Lex shouted after him, a hint of fear edging into his voice.

Flynn froze in the doorway. "What?"

"The ship disappeared," Lex told him. His voice dropped as he spoke, which let Clark know that he was more stressed than he was letting on.

A harsh grip materialized on Clark's shirt, and he was violently jerked forward, causing him to moan in protest. The pain he was feeling only got worse, though, especially when he felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed to his head.

"I will kill him," Flynn whispered maliciously. He was silent for a moment before he raised his voice and shouted, "I will prove I'm not crazy!"

"Let him go, and I'll help you find it," Lex promised. He sounded cool and collected, though Clark could make out the slight tremble in his voice. No one else would have been able to, but Clark had always known Lex better than either of them would have liked to admit, given how their relationship had deteriorated.

Flynn laughed. "You'll help me find it whether I let him go or not."

Lex was silent for a moment. "There's nothing left in that warehouse."

"We'll see about that," Flynn hissed, sounding threatening.

Unable to contain it anymore, Clark let out a heavy breath. Why wasn't Lex capable of just avoiding these psychos? He should have been rich enough to avoid decent security.

There was the sound of a door sliding shut, followed by a vehement expletive from Lex. Clark merely groaned.

"Why couldn't you have just stayed out of this, Clark?" he heard Lex say.

Abruptly, the pain in his body began to recede. It didn't go away completely, but it certainly lessened enough so that he could think again. Breathing a sigh of relief, he opened his eyes to find Lex watching him from the other side of the room, meteor rock in hand.

"You've got some explaining to do," Lex told him, his voice deathly quiet. Clark could see the anger snapping in Lex's eyes, and he couldn't help but flinch.

"The rocks hurt me," he admitted, his voice nearly inaudible.

"That's obvious," Lex replied, rolling his eyes. With a sigh, he tossed the rock into the corner of the room. "The question is, Clark, why do they hurt you?"

Clark shifted a little on the bed until he was able to sit up against the wall. Lex's eyes seemed to bore into him as he moved across the room, settling on the bed a few feet away from him. Nervously, Clark licked his dry lips.

"Isn't it enough to know that they do?" he asked, looking away from Lex's face. When Lex grabbed him, Clark was astonished. His touch was rough and angry, and Clark cried out in surprise when he was pinned up against the wall, Lex's face mere inches from his own. "No, Clark, it's not enough," he spat out. "We could possibly die here today, and all you seem to care about is protecting your secrets!" Pausing, he gave Clark a rough shake. "I know that you can disappear in the blink of an eye. I also know that you can rip the door to my safe down like no one's business. What I don't know is why you always hid it from me!"

Clark could feel the blood drain from his face. How had Lex known?

"I haven't sold you out yet, Clark, so what makes you think I'm going to?!" Lex snapped. "I could sell you out, too. I could even do it myself. It wouldn't be so hard to tuck you away in one of my hidden labs. I'm not beyond doing experiments on you--ones that could make you scream for mercy. It's only by choice that I haven't done so yet. And you know why, Clark?" He shook him again, harder than before. "It's because I care about you. Even after all of the lies, I still care, and I hate that."

Clark fought for the breath that the combination of Lex, panic, and the rock had driven from his lungs. He was failing, too, as every shake made it harder for him to draw breath. His vision was becoming hazy.

And then Lex stopped.

"I wish I could hate you, Clark," he said with a sigh. "You and your lies." His anger apparently diminished, and he let Clark drop down to the bed, where Clark began to work on breathing normally again. His fingers grasped at the sheets, which were unusually luxurious for a panic room.

"How did you know?" Clark murmured once he'd caught his breath.

"Security tapes," Lex said quietly. "You're there one moment on the screen, gone the next. I caught you on tape when you ripped off the safe door."

Clark nodded, though the knowledge that Lex knew still hit him hard. "I never wanted to lie." Slowly, he looked up to see Lex staring at him, a sort of muted contemplation in his eyes. There was anger there, but there was something like empathy as well.

"I know it hurt you to lie," Lex admitted. "When we were friends, I could see how much it hurt you, and that's why I could never understand why you did it. Maybe that's why I let it go on so long--because I knew it was hurting you as much as it was hurting me."

"It does hurt," Clark murmured. "It tears down every relationship that I have."

Lex nodded, standing up and heading away from him, almost as if he needed time to process what Clark was saying. Clark watched as he moved back over to the damaged computers, running his hands over the wires. His fingers traced every bit of damaged wire, occasionally twisting them back together, his brow furrowing as he worked.

"There's no way to open the door," Lex announced after a few minutes.

Clark let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He could feel his heart sink, even if he hadn't really expected that there would be a way out. "We're trapped?"

Lex turned around to face him, and Clark was surprised by the nervousness that he saw there. "There's not a ship, Clark. I don't have anything to show them."

Clark nodded, falling back on the pillows. "What's going to happen then?" he asked quietly. The words were out of his mouth before he'd even known what he'd intended to say.

"Chances are they're going to kill us."

It was a blunt statement, and for some reason Clark wasn't shocked. Hearing the words was jolting, but he'd known the answer to that question before he'd even asked. He didn't need Lex to help him see the obvious.

Suddenly, all those reasons that he'd had for lying to Lex seemed much less important. What did he have to lose? He might as well give Lex the thing that he'd wanted ever since they'd met.

"I can see through things," he offered.

Lex returned to sit beside him. "Can you?" he asked, sounding curious.

"Yes," Clark confirmed. "Anything but lead. I can set things on fire with my eyes, too."

Lex paused for a moment, seeming to simply be taking that in. His brow wrinkled a little. "Did I hit you with my car?"

Clark didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Then your skin's invulnerable?"

"Yes," he answered again.

"Are you one of them? The aliens?" There was a bit of tension in that question, and for the first time, Clark considered that Lex might have been a little afraid of him. He'd never thought that Lex would have equated him with the aliens from the meteor shower.

Even so, the question caused Clark to pause. He'd been taught all his life to hide the fact that he was an alien. Giving it up now, even though he was certain that his life was just about over, went against everything that he'd ever been taught.

But he at least owed this to Lex after all the years of lies.

"You know the answer to that," he finally said. Once he said it, he found that he didn't regret it. It almost felt good to finally tell someone the truth. It was sort of like a last confession.

Lex sighed. "How ironic that the only thing that hurts you is from your home world itself."

Yes, Clark thought, ironic indeed. It was also ironic that, when needed most, his gifts failed him, and all because of some bad timing.

Clark didn't expect Lex's touch when it came, though he supposed he should have. They were baring secrets, after all--secrets that they both knew the other had. Even so, Lex's gentle touch to his hair was somewhat of a surprise.

"I've always loved your hair."

Clark smiled, choking out a little laugh. "I admit to you that I'm an alien, and all you have to say is that you've always loved my hair?"

Lex gave a small laugh. "No," he replied, leaning down to brush his lips against Clark's. Pulling back a fraction of an inch, he murmured, "But that's the only thing I'm going to tell you in words."

When Lex leaned down to kiss him again, Clark forgot all about his girlfriend--the one whom he was supposed to love very much. All he knew was how wonderful Lex tasted and how good it felt. This was years of pent-up desire finally coming to a head.

If he was going to die, he was damn well going to have this first.

His mouth parted under Lex's, and his own tongue came out to gently lick Lex's lips. Lex opened his own mouth, pushing his tongue into Clark's. The kiss was calm and slow, a gentle exploration.

Clark sighed into Lex's mouth.

The sigh turned into a moan when Lex stroked a hand down Clark's side as he simultaneously licked Clark's palate. "Lex," he murmured, breaking the kiss to move to the Lex's neck, where he began to lick and suck.

"Just like that," Lex gasped out when Clark bit down, quickly soothing the love bite with his tongue.

Clark wasn't prepared for the hand that slipped down to his pants, undoing the button with a dexterous flip of fingers. The fingers trailed off, stroking his thigh so lightly that it nearly tickled. "Shift up for me, Clark," Lex whispered against Clark's ear, accompanying the request with a lick to the shell of his ear.

Clark moaned loudly, but he did as he was told. When he did, his hips bucked up into Lex's thigh, stimulating his already growing erection. Loving the feeling, he did it again and again until he was grinding against Lex. He continued doing it until Lex hooked his fingers into the loops of his jeans, drawing them down slowly enough so that the denim brushed teasingly against Clark's skin.

"Lex, I'm--I've got to--!" he cried out once his pants were off. He didn't even have his boxers off and he was already set to climax. That was just a whole new level of embarrassing, but he just couldn't help it--his body was on overload.

"If you do come, then that's all that you'll get to do," Lex murmured. His voice was so sensual that it took Clark a moment to process his words.

"I need to!" he protested, moaning in frustration.

A gentle kiss was placed on his jaw. "You can wait until I'm buried deep inside you."

Clark whined, feeling as though he was being expected to handle too much. "Please, Lex!" he begged, his voice sounding like broken glass. He wanted to come so badly, but Lex's dirty little promises were turning him on so much that he was determined to wait. Chances were that, given the situation, he'd only get to experience this once, and so he was going to do everything in his power to make it the best for himself and Lex.

The feeling of his boxers being slipped down made him gasp sharply. Every nerve in his body felt alive.

"Patience, Clark," Lex chuckled, pausing to kiss him on the lips. As they kissed, he began to unbutton Clark's shirt, trailing kisses progressively lower as more skin was revealed.

"Damn it, just fuck me!" Clark cried out. "Stop teasing!" Lex was a terrible tease, and Clark wanted sex now.

Lex's laugh rumbled against Clark's chest, making Clark sigh in delight. That delight quickly vanished when Lex withdrew his touch.

"L-e-x," he whined, reaching out his hands to grasp at Lex's hips. Vainly he tried to pull Lex closer, but Lex slipped out of his grip.

"Clark, look at me."

Helpless to disobey, Clark looked up, nearly coming at the expression in Lex's eyes. Lex's mouth was curved upward in an amused smile, which only grew as he spoke. "You're going to do as I say, all right? If I tell you not to come, you won't. Am I clear?"

Clark nodded, his eyes fixing on Lex's mouth and the neat little scar above his lip. He wanted so badly to lick it.

Clark continued to look at Lex's lips as Lex gently took Clark's legs and angled them back until they were nearly bent against Clark's chest. "Have you ever done this with a man before?" Lex asked as he ran his hand softly across Clark's stomach.

"N-no," he stuttered, his mind short circuiting at the light touches.

Lex gave him a small smile, bringing his fingers up to brush at Clark's lips. For a moment, Lex simply traced his lips, his touch light as though he were trying to learn every curve. "Suck," he instructed as he applied a little more pressure, signaling that he wanted entrance.

Clark quickly opened his mouth, letting Lex slip his fingers inside. They were slightly salty, making Clark think that Lex might have been sweating. It would make sense, as even Lex Luthor had to be nervous about the prospect of facing death.

The strange thing was, Clark wasn't thinking about being killed right now. All that his mind could concentrate on was the person before him. He'd worry about the rest later.

Sucking firmly, Clark began to trace the tips of Lex's fingers with his tongue, and he was gratified when he received a quiet moan. The fingers in his mouth moved slightly, pressing on his tongue.

"Relax," Lex told him when he removed his fingers, bringing them down towards the lower half of Clark's body.

At first, Clark thought that Lex was going to touch his cock, but he quickly found he was mistaken when a teasing touch fluttered over his exposed hole. He cried out at the strange sensation and arched up off the bed.

Once he'd settled back, Lex began to draw his finger around Clark's tight opening, massaging the outside muscles. Clark shivered a little at the sensation, and he twisted to try to get more. Lex's grin broadened.

When Lex pushed a finger inside him, Clark thought he might have stopped breathing. The sensation was so foreign, and he could feel a strange cramping, but he wouldn't have given this up for the world.

"All right?" Lex asked, arching his finger a little.

"Y-es," Clark gasped out.

"Good," he very nearly purred, adding another finger. "Lean up and kiss me, Clark."

And Clark did. They swapped a hungry kiss as Lex continued to stretch him, only breaking away when Lex crooked his finger to brush at Clark's prostate. It was surge of pleasure so intense that Clark couldn't control it, and he screamed into Lex's mouth.

"Ah, well, you're certainly not a quiet one," Lex gasped as he broke the kiss, inserting another finger.

"More, more, more," Clark begged, reaching up to grip at Lex's shoulders. He needed something solid to hang onto, and Lex's shoulders were firm under his hands.

"Yes," Lex panted.

Clark felt strangely empty when Lex finally slipped his fingers out. It wasn't a feeling that he liked, and he whimpered, wanting Lex back again.

"This could hurt, because I don't have anything to make it go easier," Lex told him frankly as he stroked a hand gently down Clark's side, lightly brushing with his fingers.

If Lex thought this was going to stop now just because of the lack of lube, then Clark was certain Lex wasn't as smart as he seemed. "Now, Lex!" he demanded, feeling as though he was going to spontaneously combust if he waited anymore.

That seemed to have been the answer Lex was waiting for, because he murmured a muted "Yes," and then reached down to guide himself until he was aligned with Clark. "Relax and breathe deep for me, Clark."

Happy to obey, Clark took a deep breath, his eyes locking with Lex's as he felt the blunt nudge of Lex's cock against him. "Ready?" Lex all but mouthed, his voice barely audible as he took hold of Clark's hips. Clark nodded.

Clark may have thought he was ready, but he still gasped loudly when Lex pushed into him. He was aware that he was squeezing hard at Lex's shoulders, but the rock was still pulsing in the corner, assuring him that there would be nothing more than normal human bruises.

It was nice to feel human.

"So tight," Lex panted, inching his way into Clark.

There was a burn and a whole lot of delicious friction. It was impossible not to get lost in the sensation, and the way Lex's hands were traveling over his body--it didn't help calm Clark down any.

Desperate for more, Clark hooked one leg around Lex's back, trying to pull him in further. Lex, it seemed, was happy to oblige, as he sank all the way into Clark. Once there, he brought his hands to Clark's hips, pulling up.

It took Clark a moment to understand what Lex wanted, but once he did, he was quick to push up into Lex just as Lex thrust into him. The combination made him see stars, and he let out a cry of delight.

His prostate was the absolute best thing ever.

He barely had time to even register it, though, as Lex thrust into him again, and he automatically picked up the pace. Before he even knew what was happening, he'd found a rhythm with Lex.

It was a hungry sort of give and take, filled with passion and lust. They both were acting as though it was their first and last times, all rolled into one--which it very well could be.

When Clark finally climaxed, he screamed out Lex's name before finding the relief that he'd been denied until now. And Lex had to have known what he was doing when he'd told Clark not to come earlier, because coming with Lex inside of him was absolutely amazing.

Lex climaxed right after him, shouting Clark's name at the top of his lungs. Clark, sated and in a post coital daze, was only aware of the tightening of fingers on his hips and then the warmth that filled him.

Lex collapsed on him, his breathing heavy as though he'd just run a marathon. He wasn't the only exhausted one, as Clark could feel his own chest heaving up and down; he was utterly spent.

Messy, sweaty limbs entwined, they lay tangled together for several minutes. Eventually Lex rolled off Clark, and even then it was too soon for Clark, especially now that reality was seeping back in.

"That was the best sex I've ever had," Clark muttered as Lex sank down beside him on the bed.

That drew a laugh from Lex. "And you've had sex how many times before?"

Clark blushed. "This was the second time."

"And I desperately hope that I was better than Lana," he replied dryly. "If I can't give you a better time than a virgin, then there's something wrong."

Clark laughed. "It was way better than Lana. That was all about first times--and I was so scared that I might hurt her." He had been too--so much so, in fact, that it had made the sex less enjoyable. Letting Lex be the one topping him had allowed him to give up control and not have to worry about doing any damage.

"I bet you never thought you'd have a good sexual experience under the effects of meteor rock, did you?" Lex asked wryly as he pulled Clark up and onto his chest. Clark didn't protest but merely sank down against him.

"No," he admitted, settling his head in the crook of Lex's neck. "But I never really thought that I'd have a sexual experience with you, either," he admitted.

"No," Lex agreed with a chuckle as he began to gently stroke up and down Clark's neck. "But I'm glad you did."

Clark smiled. "Yeah."

The pair lapsed into silence, and Clark closed his eyes, keeping his head against Lex. It was heaven when Lex reached up to begin stroking through his hair. He'd always loved to have his hair stroked.

"We should really get dressed," Lex pointed out after a few minutes.

Clark merely grunted in response. The gentle petting of his hair was still going on, preventing him from desiring much else.

"They could walk in on us naked."

That was a bit of a wakeup call. "Damn," he murmured, shifting his weight off Lex. "Do you have anything to clean up with?" he asked, glancing around the room.

"Yeah, there's water there." With a groan that showed how clearly he regretted it, Lex got up off the bed to go to a metal rack of supplies that was against the wall. He bent down to get something from the rack, and when he straightened up he was holding a bottle of water and some clothes.

Clark, who was still lying on the bed, gave him an amused smile. "Boy scout."

"You're the one who fits that bill Clark--not me," Lex replied with a small smile as he poured some water onto the first cloth. "Lean back."

Clark did, settling against the pillow. His amusement faded to contentment as Lex began to tenderly wash the mess off of his stomach and thighs. "Emmm," he muttered, closing his eyes.

"I'd love to get you in my bed," Lex told him, his tone dropping to somewhere near seductive. At the very least it made Clark's spent cock stir a bit. "You'd look so pretty all spread out across a king-sized bed covered with silk sheets."

"Even your sheets are expensive?" Clark asked teasingly, cracking an eye open. The gentle washing of his body felt amazingly good. It wasn't really arousing, but it was somehow just as intimate as anything that they'd done so far.

"Even my sheets," Lex confirmed, finishing washing him and leaning down to press a gentle kiss to Clark's stomach. "Here," he added, slipping Clark's boxers over his ankles and drawing them upward until Clark was covered again.

Only after Lex had finished did Clark finally raise himself up on his elbows, staring at Lex though half-lidded eyes. Lex himself was pulling on his boxers and pants. When he noticed Clark's gaze, he raised an eyebrow. "You know that if you keep looking at me like that then they'll come back to find us going for round two, right?"

It probably hadn't been intended to, but the comment made Clark sober up. "Lex?" he asked, his tone becoming serious as he began to pull his jeans back on.

"Yes?" Lex replied as he fastened his pants and came back over towards the bed.

"Do you really think they're going to kill us?"

Something in Lex's face shut down, and his expression settled into one of weariness. "Scoot over," he told Clark as he moved onto the bed. Maneuvering Clark, Lex got behind him, settling an arm over his hip and pulling Clark so that they were back to chest. His arm hung over Clark's hip, resting low on his stomach, where he began to gently stroke at Clark's abs.

Neither of them spoke.

"You didn't answer my question," Clark pointed out after a few minutes of silence.

"I didn't need to; you know the answer," Lex told him quietly.

Clark swallowed hard, but nodded. "I'm glad you're the one I'm here with, Lex," he admitted.

Lex sighed and kissed the nape of his neck. "Me too."

Two hours later, Lex and Clark were still nestled together, Clark having slipped off into a fretful doze. Lex remained awake, all his focus on the sleeping boy in his arms.

When the two "police officers" had arrived in Lex's office and had held him and his campaign manager at gunpoint, he hadn't seen this coming. And when they'd shot the campaign manager, the only thing he'd envisioned for himself was death.

Truthfully, Lex still thought that was likely. The only difference was how he'd spent what he thought might end up being his last few hours.

When he'd been younger--right after his mother's death, especially--he'd thought about how he was going to die. He'd considered all of the possibilities--sickness, heart attack, car accident, drowning, getting shot. In relation, he'd thought about what he'd do if he knew he had just one day to live. While he'd thought about a great many things, he'd never considered that he'd spend his last hours in bed with a man.

In fact, when he was that age he'd never even really contemplated sleeping with a man. And when he'd finally gotten that idea, he'd never thought that he'd actually get Clark into his bed, let alone have it be the last real thing that he did.

He couldn't help but admit that he was glad it was.

Lex thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door, and the subsequent dropping of his stomach. Clark stirred in his arms.

"There was no ship!" Flynn roared as he came barreling into the room.

He stopped short when he saw the position that they were in, as well as the lack of shirts. The girl that had been with him came hurrying in behind him, looking just as shocked as her boyfriend when she saw the situation.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said after she got over her shock. "You're running for senate and you're sleeping with a man?"

"Who says I was sleeping with him before this?" Lex asked calmly, disentangling himself from Clark, who had fully woken up. "We had some time, and we thought we'd have some fun."

"You're fun is over," Flynn spat, seeming to have pushed aside his shock and regained his previous anger.

"Get up," Lex murmured to Clark as he himself sat up. He placed a hand on the waist of Clark's jeans, pulling up to get him moving--not that he had to, as Clark was already reaching down for his t-shirt.

"There was no ship," he repeated.

"I told you that you wouldn't find what you were looking for!" Lex reminded him, his anger boiling just below the surface. If not for the guns in the hands of Flynn and his girlfriend, Lex would have said more, and he would have said it a lot more threateningly. "I don't know where it went; a few weeks ago it just vanished. There was a blip in my security tapes at the time."

"You're lying!" the girl shouted. "Flynn, he knows more than he's telling! He's got to!"

"I don't!" Lex shouted.

Flynn's face contorted with rage, and he moved forward, pushing Lex out of the way. Clark tried to move, but with the rock so nearby, his movements were sloppy and uncoordinated. Given his inability to move away, Flynn was easily able to grab his hair with his good hand, pulling back until Clark was forced to bare his neck.

"I'll put a bullet through his head if you don't talk!" Flynn threatened, his face alive with anger and insanity. Showing no compassion at all, he pushed the gun against Clark's temple, causing Clark to squeeze his eyes shut in terror.

"He doesn't know anything!" Lex protested. "How many innocent people are you willing to kill?!"

"As many as it takes!" Flynn roared. "I want the world to know that I'm not crazy!"

There was a look of madness in his eyes that Lex shuddered at. This was pure, unhinged desperation. These were the eyes of a man who would do anything to achieve his ends.

Slowly, so as not to startle Flynn, Lex put his hands up, calmly coming closer. "Clark hasn't done anything. If you want to blame someone, then I'm your man."

"Lex--" Clark tried to say, but a quick jerk to his hair effectively silenced him.

"Flynn..." the girl said warily, her gun trained on Lex as she watched him move closer.

"Don't take another step or I'll blow his brains out," Flynn threatened, pushing the gun harder to Clark's head. Lex could see that Flynn was shaking, and he assumed it was with anger, as he didn't look at all scared.

"Flynn, how many people have to die?" the girl asked nervously, echoing Lex's question.

For just a moment, Flynn's gaze left Clark and focused on his girlfriend instead. Lex, seeing his opportunity and knowing that he wouldn't get another, lunged forward, delivering a sharp blow straight to Flynn's head.

Flynn's head snapped back, and Clark immediately jerked away from him, throwing his elbow back into Flynn's nose. If the man hadn't been knocked unconscious by Lex's blow, Clark's accomplished that.

Flynn crumpled to the floor, his gun falling with him. Lex saw it fall, and he immediately dove after it, desperation driving him. This was his only chance, he knew--if he failed here then he and Clark were dead.

When his fingers closed over the smooth metal, he felt a surge of power rush through him.

"Drop it," he spat at the girl as he grabbed the gun and pointed it up at her. Her eyes went wide and she immediatly glanced down at Flynn's body. For the first time since she and Flynn had attacked him and Clark, Lex saw fear flash in her eyes as her gaze went to her boyfriend lying on the ground. Slowly, Lex's lip curled into a feral smile, and he changed the aim of his gun to train it on Flynn.

Her eyes widened more, but her gun remained on Clark. "I'll kill him," she said firmly.

"And I'll kill him," Lex replied, indicating to Flynn. "The only difference is that, if I kill him, I won't go to jail. It would be self-defense. However, if you kill Clark, you're going to jail for manslaughter, and I walk free." He paused, feeling anger radiating from every pore of his skin. "And you can be very sure that if you kill Clark, the United States Judicial system's brand of justice will not be the only kind you will receive."

"If you shoot Flynn, then this kid's dead," she countered, glancing at Clark. Clark remained where he was, his hands slightly up in the air in a gesture of surrender.

"Either way, we've reached a stalemate if we insist on going this route," Lex agreed. "But if you just put your gun down, you've got my word that nothing happens to Flynn."

She paused. "We'll both go to jail."

Lex nodded. "If you put your gun down right now, I'll get my lawyers to help you plead a case of insanity. Flynn will get the help that he needs, and you can be painted as the girlfriend who was coerced into this by the tales she heard from her mentally unstable boyfriend."

Lex could see the uncertainty in her face. She knew she wasn't walking free, no matter what happened here. On the other hand, she knew that taking any other option than the one that Lex had offered would get Flynn killed.

Lex saw it the moment she gave in. Something in her face smoothed over, and a moment later she put her gun on the ground and kicked it towards him. "Can you get that, Clark?" Lex asked calmly, keeping his eye on her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Clark bend down and retrieve the firearm.

"Come on," he added with a jerk of his head towards Clark. "Go."

The woman moved around Lex to Flynn's side. Looking concerned, she knelt down next to him and took his pulse.

"Is he all right?" Lex asked as he backed toward the door. Clark went out it first, though he looked over his shoulder. When Lex saw the concern on his face he was struck with disbelief at the fact that Clark could actually feel compassion for the man who had come close to killing him.

She nodded. "He's got a strong pulse."

"I'm going to call the police now," Lex informed her calmly. "You'll be locked in this room until they arrive, but it shouldn't be long."

The only indication that she'd heard him was her barely visible nod, which assured Lex that there was nothing else to see. Knowing that--knowing that it was over--caused relief like he'd never felt before to flood through Lex as he backed out the door to join Clark on the outside. The first thing he noticed was how amazingly refreshing it was not to be restricted to the dim light of the panic room.

Having secured Flynn and his girlfriend, Lex turned around to face Clark. For a moment they simply looked at each other, saying nothing.

The emotion in Clark's eyes was amazing, and Lex had to wonder if he looked the same way. He'd have liked to have just stood there looking at those emotions, but he knew that there were things that needed to be taken care of.

"I need to go call the police," he told Clark, breaking the silence.

Whatever sort of trance they'd been in was shattered. "Yeah," Clark agreed, quickly nodding. "You do."

Taking one last look at Clark, Lex turned towards his desk to use the phone. But even as he was dialing 9-1-1, he found his mind wandering back to what had happened with Clark. Neither of them had expected to live, he realized. What they'd done had been an act of two condemned people, living out a last wish.

So what happened now?

Lex was snapped out of his thoughts by the emergency operator, whose voice had become far too familiar to him over the years. Apparently, you got to know the voice well when you lived in Smallville.

"I need a police force at the Luthor mansion," he said clearly.

She assured him that she'd send help, and having finished the conversation, he hung up the phone. For a moment he didn't turn around, but instead remained facing the window. As soon as he faced Clark, they'd have to talk about what happened, and Lex wasn't eager to do that.

"Lex?" Clark asked from behind him.

"Yes?" he asked, turning around slowly, knowing he'd have to do it sometime.

"What now?"

The look on Clark's face was strange. It was almost as if he was lost--uncomprehending. He wasn't sure what to do, Lex realized. What really unsettled Lex, though, was that he wasn't any more sure of what do to than Clark was. He wasn't used to feeling so helpless, and so he did the only thing he could think of.

He hid behind his mask.

"What do you mean, Clark?" he asked, making his voice unreadable.

Clark's brow furrowed; he'd obviously caught the tone. By the look on his face, he hadn't expected that. "You know what I mean."

Lex sighed and gave him a little smirk. "We go back to our lives," he said simply, even if everything inside of him was screaming that this wasn't at all simple.

"Our lives?" Clark echoed, looking surprised.

Lex nodded almost condescendingly. "Our lives. Your girlfriend, my job--our lives. As far as we're both concerned, this never happened."

"Lex--," Clark tried to say, his face was slipping into something resembling nervousness. He'd clearly realized that Lex was trying to disregard the whole experience, but he appeared uncertain of how to stop it.

"It's easier that way," Lex replied with a cold tone, cutting him off. "This wouldn't work. What we did would never have happened if not for the circumstances."

Something like hurt flashed in Clark's eyes for a moment, right before he also closed off his emotions to anyone watching. "I think I'm going to go clean up," he said quietly, looking away from Lex.

Lex nodded, though Clark had already turned to head towards the door. "I think that's a good idea," he murmured once Clark had walked out of the room. Staring at the door, he tried to remind himself that he hadn't lost anything.

You couldn't lose something that you'd never really had.

Lex sighed heavily as he poured another glass of scotch. Over the past three days he'd been drinking constantly, which had made the last seventy-two hours a blur.

The last time that he'd been this affected by the aftermath of sex had been with Helen, because while he was loathe to admit it now, he had truly cared about her, and her betrayal had hurt. That had been a completely different situation, though, as she'd tried to kill him. He'd had every reason to blame her, and that had almost made it easier.

Clark was not at fault in this situation.

Lex had dismissed Clark--not the other way around. He had been the one who had erased any chance at anything more than a quick bout of sex. Clark had tried to talk; Lex had been the one who had closed him off and had sent him away. In this situation, it was entirely his fault.

Taking a long drink of his scotch, Lex let his eyes stray over to the panic room. It felt as though he was looking at it constantly, and what was worse was that every time he did, he started thinking about what had happened.

Lex could still see Clark's beautiful face staring up at him as he bottomed out inside of him. Clark had looked so amazing--more so than anyone else Lex had ever been with, and he'd had the privilege of sleeping with some of the most beautiful people in the world.

Lex had originally told himself that he'd dismissed Clark because he hadn't thought a relationship between them would work; now he was wondering if maybe he'd just been afraid. Was it easier to have no relationship with Clark than to risk having Clark hate him in the end?

"This is insane," he muttered, slamming his scotch down on his desk. Some of the amber liquid sloshed over, causing Lex to sigh in frustration.

"You're right," agreed a calm voice. "This is insane."

Lex froze. "What do you want, Clark?" he asked, forcing his voice to stay as calm as Clark's. He didn't turn around to look at him.

"I want to talk," Clark said simply. The sound of footsteps let Lex know that Clark was approaching him.

"Didn't I make it clear that there's nothing to talk about?" he asked, his voice cold. Part of him was screaming that he was making a huge mistake, but he just wasn't willing to try this. Clark had hated him over the past few months after a fight when they'd just been friends--what would happen if they had a fight as lovers?

"That's your problem, Lex," Clark stated, having moved a few feet behind Lex. "You're so brave when it comes to putting your body in danger, but when your emotions are on the line, you're just as scared as everyone else."

Lex laughed bitterly and turned to face Clark. "You think you know me that well?"

Clark raised an eyebrow, giving him a small smile. "Yes."

"You're wrong," Lex replied icily. "A relationship between us would never work, and I'm not willing to try something that's only doomed to fail."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "Why is it doomed to fail?"

"Clark, just step back for a moment and look at this rationally and without emotion. Our views on life are so different. What would happen the first time that I did something slightly unethical? Would you accept it? Or would you try to stop it? And what happens then? Would we just fight like a normal couple? You know, where someone ends up sleeping on the couch? No, Clark, we'd fight it out like we've always done, because neither of us is ever willing to back down. We'd tear ourselves apart, and then we'd only end up hating each other."

Clark shook his head. "That would only happen if we let it. I admit, Lex, this wouldn't be the easiest of things. Sometimes, though, the best things in life are those that you have to work the hardest for."

"Did your father tell you that?" he asked with a sneer.

To Clark's credit, he didn't even flinch. "He might have at some point," Clark replied. "That doesn't make it any less true." He paused, seeming to deliberate for a moment before saying, "I know you're afraid of getting hurt, Lex."

Lex's anger flared. "And just how do you know all of this, Clark?! Who's to say I haven't completely put behind me what happened in that room?"

Clark gave him a sort of lopsided smile. "I can see through the walls of your mansion, Lex--you haven't put it behind you. People who have moved on don't jerk off at night to the name of their most recent lover."

Lex felt his breath catch as he realized that Clark knew. It had just been a one time thing, he'd told himself, because the thoughts of their time in the panic room had been driving him crazy. Unfortunately, jerking off had only increased those thoughts.

"It won't work, Clark," he finally said, his voice becoming tired. "This won't work out. We'd always have too many differences in opinions."

"We can compromise," Clark replied logically, reaching out to rest a hand on Lex's shoulder. He squeezed gently, letting his fingers flex. Lex shuddered in delight when Clark's fingers came in contact with the bruises that Clark had given him three days prior--the one's he'd received when Clark had squeezed at his shoulders while Lex had been inside him.

"Have you just forgotten that you have a girlfriend?" Lex asked in annoyance. He could feel himself caving in, because the truth was that he wanted this badly. He'd wanted Clark for years, but he'd never wanted to risk their friendship. And when their friendship had gone to hell, there had been nothing left. Now that there was a possibility of things working out, it just seemed too good to be true.

Clark shook his head, though there was a flash of sadness in his eyes. "I can't ever tell her the truth, Lex," he said with a sigh. "And to be honest, I'm always afraid of hurting her, both physically and emotionally."

Lex laughed caustically. "Just bring a meteor rock to bed, Clark. It worked well for us, didn't it?"

He shook his head. "I'd have to tell her then. I can't do it. I'm just--I don't think I really loved her anyway, at least not in the way that I should have."

"You're speaking in the past tense," Lex pointed out, trying to quell the bit of hope that was bubbling in his chest.

Clark nodded. "I broke it off."

Lex raised his gaze, meeting Clark's eyes solidly for the first time since Clark had walked into the room. For a moment they just stared at each other, eyes locked. Lex held his gaze, uncertain of what he was hearing. After pursuing Lana for nearly five years, he'd now given her up. The question was, why?

"I thought you loved her, Clark," he said quietly.

"I think I did," he admitted, taking a step closer to Lex. "In my own way, at least. I just didn't love her enough--or in the right way--to be able to give her everything."

"And you think that will be different with me?" Lex asked, trying to keep himself completely calm.

Clark reached his hands up to take Lex by the arms. Looking straight at him, he replied, "I know it will."

When Clark leaned in and pressed his lips to Lex's, Lex sighed in pleasure, finally letting his emotions go. He could feel the tension beginning to bleed out of him. Some part of him was still screaming about this being too good to be true, but for once he was willing to suppress that voice.

Clark was worth the risk.

"Clark," he said quietly once they'd broken the kiss. "Are you absolutely sure? Because I don't let go of what's mine. Once we start this, I'm not going to let you go. So I'll ask you again: are you sure?"

Clark swallowed, but he nodded firmly. "Yes." A smile curved on his lips. "Besides, I don't think I could go back to sex with Lana and be content after what we did," he added teasingly, grinning at Lex.

Despite himself, Lex laughed. "I'd be insulted if you could."

"I bet," Clark murmured, leaning in and capturing his mouth again.

Lex let himself lean into Clark's embrace as he reached up to thread his hands in the thick black locks. When he licked across Clark's lips, the mouth under his eagerly opened to give him access. He moaned in delight. "Beautiful," he murmured as they briefly broke the kiss.

"Yes," Clark whispered. "This will be."

Lex smiled inwardly. He felt like he'd finally come home.