And I need you now, my friend, more than you know.

When will we meet again? 'Cause I can't let go, of you.

--- Let Go

"C'mon, Clark! It's going to be an awesome party!"

Clark grinned up at Pete, shaking his head. "No chance, Pete. I remember the last awesome party a little too well to fall for that again."

"We're not freshmen anymore!" Pete insisted. "There will be no dumping of alcohol and ice over our heads! We get to do it to someone else now!"

"And that just makes it so much more appealing. Really."

Pete laughed and said, "All right, all right. But if you change your mind, come on back to the room and we'll hook up."

"Sure," Clark agreed, though they both knew he'd do no such thing.

The sensation of being watched returned and he frowned, scanning the area. There was nothing out of place that he could see, though. Small groups of students laughing and talking together on the quad, couples making out, a couple of games of tag frisbee at the far end.

Picking up on the change in mood, Pete asked, "What's wrong?"

Clark shrugged and said, "Nothing. Just…feels like someone's been watching me."

"And you don't see anything?"

"No," Clark answered, taking another look.

Pete grinned suddenly. "I bet some gorgeous coed's watching you!"

That made Clark laugh and he swatted at Pete, who easily ducked it. "Get out of here, would you? I'm trying to study."

Shaking his head, Pete commented, "Studying on the weekend. One of these days, Clark, you're going to wake up with 'nerd' tattooed on your forehead."

"Only if you let frat guys into our dorm room," Clark retorted. "Again."

Pete grinned and, as he backed away, said, "I was framed, I tell ya!"

Eyes rolling in fond amusement, Clark went back to the mostly interesting study of philosophy. The subject was interesting, but he just wasn't in the mood for studying, despite what he'd said to Pete. He'd been feeling restless all afternoon, moving from place to place, trying to find somewhere comfortable that didn't give him the weird sense that he was being observed.

So he'd wound up outside in the common area of the university, feeling more at home there because of the grass and trees, even in the middle of the city. There had been plenty of tables available because, as Pete had pointed out, most of the other students were out somewhere having fun.

Sighing to himself, Clark was about to pack it in when someone stopped by his table. Glancing down, he saw black boots, leading up to black jeans, which in turn led to a fitted black sweater and all of it surrounded by an expensive black overcoat. Even before he finished looking the man up, he knew what he would find. Reaching the pale throat and then, finally, the face, Clark's heart stuttered.

Dark blue-gray eyes gazed at him intently as Lex commented, "College life seems to agree with you, Clark."

Not much had changed, Clark saw. The body beneath the clothes was as lean and fit as ever and Lex still had that magnetism, the same aura of power held in check that he'd always had. There were a few tension lines around the mouth and eyes, but no one else would ever notice them, just Clark. "Ah, yeah. It does."

Lex nodded and pulled out the chair beside Clark, angling it so they faced each other and sitting, all in one, smooth movement. "Studying on a Saturday? Why am I not surprised? And what do we have here?"

Unable to make his body move other than to breathe, and even that was questionable, Clark allowed Lex to pluck the book from his hand.

"The Existentialists. Well. Not my favorite subject, but then, I didn't have to suffer through the public education system, either," Lex said, a smile hovering. "I understand that you made the Dean's List last year. Impressive for a freshman. Not that I expected any less from you, Clark."

"Checking up on me?"

"Yes."

The honest answer surprised Clark, but made him suspicious as well, all his barriers slamming into place like Fort Knox. "Why are you here, Lex?"

Lips pursed, Lex allowed slowly, "I deserve that, I suppose."

"And more," Clark agreed. God! Why were all those old feelings determined to come back, just at the sight of him? He'd had enough heartbreak at this man's hands, was he a masochist?

Lex's eyes skittered away from Clark to rest on a happy couple blissfully unaware of anything but each other. "How's Lana?"

"Fine as far as I know. Still in Smallville."

"You don't keep in touch?"

"I see her when I go home for the holidays."

"And Chloe?"

"Here at the University. She's majoring in journalism and working as an intern at the Daily Planet. Pete's here too, but you know that because you've been watching me," Clark finished, suddenly connecting the feelings he'd been plagued with to their source.

Inclining his head to acknowledge the truth of the statement, Lex said, "I wasn't going to come here at all, you know. Then I was here and I wasn't going to talk to you, just check on you, watch you for a little while. But I couldn't be here and not see you, Clark."

Jaw tightening, Clark got to his feet and picked up his books, taking the philosophy one back from Lex. "It's been almost three years and I could happily have gone the rest of my life without another meeting. You only get one chance to break my heart, Lex. Don't come near me again."

* * * *

Lex watched Clark stride away, stomach churning with the force of his emotions.

You only get one chance to break my heart, Lex.

The suspicion and pain in his former friend's eyes had almost been too much to bear. He should have kept his distance, shouldn't have even come to the campus. He also should have known that he wouldn't get the second chance that he so desperately needed. Redemption wasn't for people like him, his father kept trying to drill that into his head.

Lex's breath hitched in his throat, his heart beating thunderously as he tried to calm down. Through all the dirty deals he'd made since leaving Smallville, all the evil and blood and money, Clark had been his light at the end of the tunnel. The one person he'd been certain that he could turn to when it got to be too much. When he went too far, even for Luthor standards. He hadn't, apparently, taken into proper account the depth with which he'd hurt Clark.

You only get one chance to break my heart, Lex. Don't come near me again.

"God, Clark, please help me," he whispered, pain and desperation filling every part of him. "Please."

But either hearing wasn't included in the extra portion of strength or Clark was ignoring him because the other man didn't so much as slow down on his path towards the dorms.

Now what was he going to do?

* * * *

God, Clark, please help me. Please.

The whisper might as well have been screamed in his ear, the distance immaterial as Clark walked determinedly towards the dorms. He was not going to turn around. He was not going to try and make things better for Lex. The other man had made his decision three years ago when he'd left Smallville with his father; when he'd left Clark behind.

He wasn't going to do anything to help Lex.

He wasn't.

* * * *

Lex was pretty sure that he was either hallucinating or drugged because Clark Kent simply did not attend gala affairs. He certainly didn't do so dressed to kill in a tux. Excusing himself from whichever prime minister he'd been talking to, Lex drifted across the room to where Clark was in earnest conversation with a woman. A beautiful woman, who was hanging on every word. Not that Lex blamed her, since he'd give his right arm to be able to stare into Clark's eyes like she was doing.

He knew exactly how hypnotic those eyes could be; remembered it intimately.

"…why we need more social reforms, not less. And also…"

Snorting softly as he listened to the liberal crap spouting from Clark's mouth, he watched the woman sidle closer and stiffened in possessive protest. When she put her hand on Clark's waist, Lex's jaw tightened and he stepped out of the shadows with, "Clark! I'm so glad you could make it."

The woman looked less than thrilled with the interruption, but Lex couldn't discern Clark's expression at all. That sent a chill through him and he wondered just how good an actor Clark had become over the last few years. Though the chill had more to do with the thought that he'd set the young man on such a course where acting to that degree was needed.

"Lex," Clark greeted easily. "Nice party."

Lex smiled. "Thanks. If you'll excuse us, there are some people Clark needs to speak with."

Ignoring the woman's protest, Lex took Clark's arm and led him away. Though he personally didn't care what it looked like, Lex released his hold almost immediately. Clark didn't need his picture in the gossip column as a possible new conquest.

"I took a chance that you hadn't taken my name off your list of people to let in without an appointment."

Lex didn't mention that Clark was the only person on that list and always would be.

They stopped by the bar where Clark smiled at the man on duty and asked, "May I have a coke, please?"

The bartender looked faintly surprised at the politeness, but then smiled as he looked closer at Clark, immediately pouring the drink. "Of course, sir. Did you want anything else?"

Lex's gaze narrowed at the handsome young man, but he was ignored as the bartender seemed completely entranced with Clark.

Clark smiled back and shook his head. "No thank you."

"I'm glad you came," Lex said, leading Clark away from the crowd. "Surprised, shocked actually, but very glad."

Awkward now, Clark replied, "I, um…you seemed like you needed a friend. I'm sorry how I reacted, the things I said in the quad. I was angry and shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Lex fervently blessed Martha and Jonathan Kent for raising Clark as they had. Not only was he offering his hand, but apologizing for his behavior. Mentally shaking his head in amazement, Lex replied, "You've nothing to apologize for, Clark. Look, this isn't really the place to have this conversation. Would you mind meeting me outside in about an hour? That's the earliest I'll be able to leave since it is my party. I don't want to cause trouble for you by starting the tongues wagging. As they're about to if we keep talking privately like this."

"Oh. I didn't even think…yeah, sure," Clark agreed hastily.

Staring into the blue eyes that he'd only been remembering for the last three years, it was a fight for Lex to turn away. He did, though, and said, "Thank you for coming, Clark, really. I know it couldn't have been easy."

Clark gripped his arm, momentarily stopping the departure. "That's what friends are for, Lex."

With a heavy swallow, Lex nodded and returned to his duties as host.

* * * *

Clark should have been bored, but watching Lex mingle was something akin to watching a magician at work. He knew there was slight of hand involved, saw the flash of perfect teeth, heard the warm chuckle that Lex used as his distraction. What the other man was actually getting from each encounter, though, Clark just couldn't tell.

When he'd returned to the castle after that fateful day, it had been empty and vacant, as though no one had ever lived there. Clark had realized then that Lex didn't mean to come back. And from that day forward, he'd vowed to put the other man out of his mind. It had been impossible to do though, especially when Lana insisted on giving them all updates on Lex's latest trip and little gifts that he sent her, and Chloe kept bringing some shady deal to his attention.

After he'd shouted at Lana in the middle of the Talon that he didn't care what the hell Lex was doing with his life and stormed out, the updates had stopped. It had been the beginning of the end to their relationship, too. Probably the shortest relationship in the history of Smallville, even though the pre-relationship had been incredible.

Perversely, he'd asked Chloe to keep him informed of anything that seemed questionable in Lex's business deals. Clark had started his very own wall, well, a scrapbook anyhow, of the things the other man 'achieved' over the last few years. He took the time to research all the bad things, a lot more in-depth than Chloe had ever suspected. All the reasons that he should have been glad that Lex had stopped things before they had happened.

When they'd gotten to the university, that had stopped because Chloe was too busy with her studies and internship. Clark could have kept it up on his own, but let it go, knowing that if he didn't, his heart would remain damaged and wrong. He'd burned the scrapbook on the anniversary of the day that Lex had left. His parents hadn't asked why he'd used the grill that winter night, for which he'd been grateful.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kent."

Clark looked over at an older man wearing a driver's uniform. "Yes?"

"Mr. Luthor asks that you wait in his limo, if that's acceptable to you."

Asks. When was the last time that Lex had asked anyone for anything instead of just taking or demanding? Clark's eyes locked onto the other man across the room and maybe Lex felt his gaze because their eyes met. The distance was no barrier to Clark and he saw the brief flicker of something in the eyes…pain? Barely inclining his head, Clark answered the driver, "That's fine, thanks."

As they walked out of the party, Clark glanced at his escort and held out his hand. "I'm Clark."

* * * *

Lex nearly choked on a laugh as he saw Clark hold his hand out to the driver on his way out. Some things never changed, thank God. Keeping his attention on the people in the party was difficult, but he managed to wait another twenty minutes before starting to make his excuses of a headache. Not terribly original, but since his weight loss was a source of perpetual curiosity, people accepted that he wasn't feeling well.

Or at least seemed to, and that was really all Lex cared about.

Once out of sight, he strode the remaining distance out of the building to where his limo was waiting with Clark, hopefully, inside. The driver opened the door for him and Lex climbed in, smiling at the sight that greeted him. Clark had taken off the jacket and the tie was a wreck on the floor. As well, the shirt had been unbuttoned to the collarbone, showing a delicious amount of skin, but not enough to be blatantly provocative.

Clark looked over at him and echoed the smile, saying, "It's about time you got here."

How different would his life have turned out if he'd had this waiting for him everyday? Shaking the bittersweet thought from his mind, Lex sat opposite Clark and replied, "Unfortunately, it was the earliest I could get away."

"Mr. Luthor? What's our destination?" the driver asked over the intercom.

Lex looked at Clark. "What's our destination, Clark?"

Touching the button, Clark held Lex's eyes as he said, "The overpass on Rt. 90. Do you know it?"

"Yes, sir."

Lex frowned curiously. "We're going to an overpass?"

With a grin, Clark nodded, but didn't say anything else.

"All right, Clark, keep your secret," Lex said with a grin. "It'll be revealed soon enough."

Clark stiffened and Lex cursed himself for the unintentional slip. "Clark, I didn't mean…"

But Clark had already relaxed and held up a hand to stop the apology. "It's all right, Lex. I'm just…a little in flux right now."

Tell me about it, Lex thought, sighing faintly with relief. "How are your parents? And your sister, is that right?"

Clark's eyes glinted merrily as he countered, "You know perfectly well it is. I bet you even know her name and her birthday."

"Elizabeth Ann Kent, February 14, 2004," Lex relayed. "But those are just statistics. How is she?"

"The terror of the house," Clark replied dryly.

Lex grinned. "A Kent? I find that hard to believe."

Snorting, Clark informed him, "She was in the terrible two stage before she even turned a year old. Actually, she's a lot like you, come to think of it."

"I'm sorry," Lex said sincerely, amused at the comparison.

Clark laughed and replied, "That's all right. We all love her to death. Maybe…"

When Clark's voice trailed off, Lex prompted, "What, Clark?"

Uncomfortable, Clark shook his head. "Nothing. Never mind."

Which gave Lex a pretty clear idea that Clark had been going to ask him to visit. It was so easy being with the other man that it seemed as if they'd never been parted.

The limo stopped and the driver announced, "We're here, sirs."

Clark again pressed the intercom and said, "Thanks, David. You can just sit tight for a little while"

"Will do, Clark."

"I should have known that you'd make friends with the driver," Lex observed as they got out of the car.

"Like you don't know everything about him?"

Lex shrugged mildly. "I need to know who my immediate employees are, Clark. Just in case."

"Right. David told me that you ask after his family every day and always send them birthday and Christmas presents."

Busted. Lex wagged an accusing finger at Clark and stated, "It's your fault, you know. I never got to know the help before you came along. And where are we going, anyhow?"

"Patience," Clark chided.

Shaking his head, Lex followed Clark to the edge of the overpass and stopped when the other man climbed over the rail. "Ah, Clark? There's nowhere else to go."

"Sure there is," Clark assured him, a challenging look entering his eyes. "Trust me."

Oh now, here was dangerous ground. Lex hesitated then took a breath and climbed over the rail, holding on as he watched Clark. The younger man stepped carefully out along the lower ledge then squatted down and shimmied through an opening. Lex followed and felt strong hands grip his legs as they went through. Then he was on the other side in what appeared to be an odd metal cabin of sorts.

Clark crossed to the opposite side and sat down at a circular opening. Lex followed again, feeling the vibrations as cars and trucks went overhead, and sat beside him. Looking out the hole, he found Metropolis sprawled out before him, glittering with lights. The beauty touched him and he breathed, "Oh, Clark. This is incredible. How'd you find it?"

"I walk the city a lot, to think, and found it last year. Now I come here whenever things get too much."

Lex dragged his eyes from the cityscape that had fascinated him forever, to the other man. Shadows half-hid Clark's face and his eyes were unreadable as they gazed at each other. "Does that happen a lot?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, Lex," Clark said softly. "I haven't seen you in three years, but I know you're in trouble. I know that you want out of whatever problem it is that you can't handle. I can see it in your eyes."

He'd almost forgotten how perceptive Clark was; or maybe he'd been counting on it? Looking away, Lex returned to eyeing the city as he replied, "I'm not the man I was, Clark. I didn't deserve your friendship then, and even less so now. The things I've done…"

"I know."

"You can't…"

"I know, Lex."

The calm certainty in Clark's voice spooked Lex into looking at him again. There was a searing intensity to the darkened eyes that burned right through to Lex's soul. It was as though Clark knew exactly what he'd done since parting company. Realization dawned, and it dawned hard as he said, "You kept track of me."

Clark shrugged and broke eye contact. "The first year or so, yeah. I was…obsessed, I guess. Maybe a little crazy, too, I don't know. My parents thought I'd flipped out, even though I acted the same as I always did. Pete and Chloe never found out how dark-side I went."

"God, Clark, I'm so sorry," Lex whispered. "It was the worst mistake of my life and I would give anything to take it back."

Clark shook his head and replied, "You can't. All you can do is try to make amends."

"Can I?" Lex asked earnestly. He reached out, but his hand hovered in the air between them. "Will you let me?"

"That depends on why you're doing it. Why are you here, Lex? To seek absolution for the evil you've done? What do you want?"

Closing his eyes, feeling the darkness swirling within and fighting for dominance, Lex gasped, "To stop, Clark. I can't stop myself and I want to. If I don't stop now…I never will."

A strong hand gripped his and Lex was pulled into a tight embrace. Burying his face against the warm skin, surrounded by Clark's strength and forgiveness, Lex cried for the first time since his mother had died.

* * * *

Clark held Lex for a long time, rocking him slowly, comforting him with wordless assurances and soft touches. Lex cried as though his soul was breaking, or maybe had just discovered that it had been broken for a long time and wept for the loss. The tears were hot and silent, no sounds or movement issuing from Lex as he clung to Clark.

Finally, the tears stopped and Lex was limp in his arms, exhausted from the emotional drain. Pulling the other man more certainly into his arms, Clark stood easily and walked to the ledge of the makeshift room. He stepped out into air and flew to the end of the overpass with Lex in his arms, careful to keep out of David's sight and mirrors.

Coming up in the driver's blind spot, Clark tapped the window, startling David. The door opened immediately and Clark assured the other man quietly, "He's fine, just exhausted. Take us to his penthouse."

David nodded, concerned, and opened the back door.

Clark maneuvered inside and kept Lex in his arms even after settling into the seat. Once they got to the tower where Lex kept his apartment, he wouldn't be able to keep doing so.

* * * *

It turned out that Clark didn't have to wake Lex when they arrived after all. The garage was completely private and the elevator almost directly beside the parking spot. David opened the door and said, "I've got the elevator waiting, Clark."

Smiling, Clark replied, "Thanks, David."

He made sure that it looked awkward getting Lex out of the car, aware of his audience, but in actuality, he didn't even jostle the man who slept so trusting in his arms. Striding the short distance to the elevator, he waited patiently while David keyed it to the right floor and the doors shut.

The penthouse was as luxurious as he'd expected, but he only noticed in a vague way as he followed David to the bedroom. Once there, David left, discretely closing the door behind him.

Clark lowered Lex to the bed, but Lex wouldn't release his grip on the shirt.

Wounded eyes looked up at him as Lex asked, "Stay with me?"

Pain sliced through him and Clark swallowed heavily. He sat on the edge of the bed and cupped Lex's face in his hand. "Not tonight, Lex."

"I won't leave again, I swear."

Smiling gently, Clark assured him, "That's not the reason."

"Then why?"

"I can't," Clark answered simply. "Not now. I can't be anything but your friend, Lex. Can you accept that?"

For a long minute, it was obvious there was some internal battle going on inside Lex. Then his eyes closed and he nodded.

Clark pulled his hand away and stood. Somehow Lex looked even more vulnerable than when Clark had seen him in the hospital three years ago. Shaking the thought from his head and hardening his heart, he said, "Thank you."

"Would you stay until I fall asleep?"

After a brief hesitation, Clark agreed, "Sure."

Lex sighed deeply, the tension visibly leaving.

Clark wished that he could do the same.

* * * *

"Rumor has it that you were at a LexCorp benefit last night. Care to comment, Mr. Kent?"

Clark glared at Chloe even as he accepted the cup of coffee from her.

She grinned, unrepentant, and said, "I'll take that as a confirmation."

"Pete told you," Clark grumbled, breathing in the coffee.

"I have my sources," she corrected. Sitting on the couch opposite him, Chloe continued, "I was under the pretty strong impression that you hated Lex."

Uncomfortable, Clark shook his head. "No."

Chloe snorted and stated, "You're lying."

"I am not!" Clark exclaimed.

"Yes, you are. You always get that little twitch under your eye when you lie."

Touching his face in alarm, he groaned when she laughed triumphantly. "You set me up."

"You betcha."

They were silent for a few minutes where all Clark concentrated on was the smell and taste of the coffee. He wasn't sure if he could actually feel the caffeine leeching into his system, but it certainly felt like it.

"So what's going on?"

Sighing, Clark wondered what he should tell her. No one knew the real story, of course, but they all thought they did. That Lex had just dropped Clark's friendship and not looked back. "Lex needed help with something."

"And he came to the Boy Scout most likely to kill him?" Chloe asked skeptically.

"Chloe…"

Throwing up her hands, she exclaimed, "All right! I'll stop prying. But Clark, be careful, okay? Lex isn't the same guy you knew in Smallville, not by a long shot."

"Hey guys."

They both looked over at Pete's approach and Chloe held her hand out, demanding, "I am practically starving for attention. Clark's being monosyllabic again."

Grinning, Pete took her hand and leaned down to give her a lingering kiss.

Only half joking, Clark protested, "Not in front of the single guy, okay?"

Pete sat on the couch beside Chloe and pulled her onto his lap with a grin. "You're only single because you keep saying no, Clark. I have no pity."

"Clark was just not telling me how the party went."

"Did you expect anything else?"

"Sitting right here, guys," Clark pointed out, waving at them both.

Chloe was abruptly serious and she said, "We just don't want you to get hurt again, Clark. I know that Lex really...got under your skin last time. I remember how hard it was for you when he just took off like he did."

Pete nodded, agreeing, "He's a Luthor. He's not going to stick around this time, either."

I won't leave again, I swear.

Clark shook his head as Lex's promise ran through it. Whatever else Lex was, a promise-breaker wasn't on the list. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Sighing, Chloe stated, "He's just going to hurt you again, Clark. Or I should say, keep hurting you since it never really stopped the first time."

"That's not true," Clark protested.

"Oh yeah?" Chloe challenged. "Then why haven't you been on a date since senior prom? It's not because you haven't been asked. You get more offers than anyone else I know, male and female."

"Excuse me? Guys've been asking Clark out?" Pete exclaimed.

Chloe rolled her eyes and demanded, "Where have you been? Clark's the most popular non-gay man with the GLBT group on campus. The point I'm trying to make Clark, is that you never moved on after Lex left."

Finally glad to have something he could counter effectively, Clark said, "I did too. Or was dating Lana a figment of my imagination?"

"Rebound. Doesn't count."

"Wait, wait, wait! Chloe, you're making it sound like Clark and Lex were, like, together," Pete exclaimed.

Meeting Clark's eyes, Chloe asked intently, "Were you, Clark? Was that one of the deep, dark secrets that you wouldn't tell anyone?"

"No, we weren't."

Everyone jumped at Lex's statement. Clark twisted in his chair to find the other man standing a few feet away and wondered how much of the conversation he'd overheard. Getting to his feet, as did Chloe and Pete, Clark greeted, "Hey, Lex."

Lex nodded to him with a faint smile then looked back at Chloe. "Clark and I weren't dating back in Smallville. We were just friends."

"And what are you now?" Chloe demanded.

Pete clamped a hand over her mouth and said, "We're just going to leave now. Clark, don't forget it's laundry night, tonight."

"Thanks, Pete," Clark said gratefully as his friend dragged Chloe away.

"She's only gotten bolder, hasn't she?"

Glad that Lex was amused and not angry, Clark nodded. "Yeah. She's actually better about not overstepping personal boundaries these days, but she's, ah…"

Lex half smiled and supplied, "Worried about you."

Nodding, Clark agreed reluctantly, "Yeah."

"I don't blame her. I am, too."

Surprised by the claim, Clark frowned and asked, "Why?"

Closing the distance between them, Lex touched his arm and gazed up at him. "Because I know myself, Clark. Everything I touch becomes corrupted and I never want that to happen to you."

With certainty, Clark stated, "It won't."

"But…"

Clark took Lex's hand in his, effectively stopping the protest, and sighed. He'd thought a lot about what to say when this came up, all night, but had hoped for more time. "I have too much at stake to let that happen. I want to help you, and I will if you let me. But you have to join my world, Lex, because I won't join yours."

* * * *

The strength of conviction in Clark's voice sent a shiver through Lex. This was no game. Clark meant every single word and would stand by them. Though the difference in height and breadth between them wasn't physically great, Lex suddenly felt as though he was a miniscule little nothing compared to the light shining so intensely from Clark's eyes.

The darkness inside quivered in response, but the tiny part of himself that had been struggling to stay human surged forward, basking in that light.

He found himself nodding and saying, "I understand." before he could censor the words.

"Do you? Do you, really?" Clark asked softly, moving closer.

They were barely an inch apart and Lex felt surrounded by the other man without a single touch. Heat and the delicate scent that Lex had forgotten about reached for him, pulling him towards Clark's world. Everything else was blocked out, the distractions around them fading away as he stared into the hypnotic blue eyes that he'd been dreaming about for three years. Licking at dry lips, he nodded again. "I understand."

"I'll never give up on you, Lex, but I'll put you away if I have to. From here on out, anything that I find out about, anything illegal or harmful to others, I'll expose it and send you to jail," Clark vowed, simultaneously as soft, and as hard, as before. "Don't make me your enemy. Please don't let that happen, Lex."

And just as he'd never been able to refuse Clark in the past, Lex promised, "I won't."

Clark held his gaze a moment longer, then smiled and pulled back, breaking the spell with a brilliant smile. "Good."

Breaking shakily, Lex asked, "Damn, Clark, did you take some kind of hypnosis class or what?"

"Nope. C'mon. Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

Feeling somewhat more normal, Lex shook his head in amusement and observed, "I see that you didn't outgrow the hollow leg."

"Not according to my mother."

* * * *

Scanning his emails, Lex grinned at finding one from ckent@metu.edu. He saw that it was only a few minutes old and his grin broadened, anticipating a fun flurry of email exchanges. Opening it up, he snickered softly at the short, but pointed content.

Lex,

Be good. See you tonight.

Clark

It had been a couple of weeks since their encounter in the student union and every day, he got some kind of encouraging email from Clark. He could not only hear Clark's voice in them all, but Martha and Jonathan Kent's as well. Eventually, he was sure, he'd hear Elizabeth's, too.

He'd spent the time since then slowly divesting himself from every ill-gotten gain tangled up in his single remaining legitimate company, LexCorp. Something inside him had always kept him from sullying LexCorp with his dirty deals. As if to taint it would be to taint the memory of Smallville and the lives that had touched him there. Breaking free was a difficult thing to do, as if the slime itself was reluctant to give him up. He was offering outrageously low deals for his former 'partners' to make sure there were no hard feelings on anyone's end.

So far, things seemed to be going well, if incredibly and irritatingly slow. He didn't fool himself that the 'layoffs' of upper management was going to be easy, because it wouldn't. He'd be lucky only to get lawsuits. Strangely enough, on the other hand, LexCorp stock seemed to be rising for the first time in years.

The office doors opened and he looked up in irritation at the interruption. The irritation shifted rapidly to fear at his father's stormy appearance. Not fear for himself, but fear for what he would give in to at his father's behest. With a shaky finger, he hit return message and typed in, 'help! my father's here!' and hit send. Closing his email, Lex leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, the picture of nonchalance. "Hello, Father."

"Lex," Lionel snarled in greeting. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"I do many things in the course of a day, would you care to be more specific?"

Pointing his cane at Lex, eyes like black ice, Lionel stated, "You know what I'm talking about."

"Oh, the layoffs."

"Yes, the layoffs. I got a call from Harry Beldini earlier in the week and let me tell you that he is not happy. And I am not happy that I had to deal with it, or him."

Stalling, Lex replied, "LexCorp is going through a consolidation process and it's inevitable, if regrettable, that some people have to lose their jobs."

"Consolidation, my ass. Clark Kent is behind all this."

Lex got to his feet and stated, "Clark has nothing to do with this, Dad. I took a long, hard look at myself and didn't like what I found."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Lex, son, maybe you didn't realize this, but you can't get out. Not now. That door was closed to you when you left Smallville."

Shaking his head, Lex countered, "That's not true. I'm being more than generous to those who want to buy me out. Everyone so far is happy."

"Except Harry Beldini."

"Well, yes, except for him. But I gave him an excellent severance package."

"Don't be smart," Lionel snapped, slamming his cane on the desk hard enough to break off the edge of the desk.

Lex flinched and stepped back. He'd never seen his father that angry before. No, not true. Lionel had been that angry the day he'd 'shot' Lucas. He was in a truly murderous rage. And despite the fact that he was a man in his own right, Lex faltered, backing down from the man who had always loomed larger than life to him.

Lionel stalked around the desk and pushed Lex against the wall, a hand to his throat as he ordered, "You're going to recant those ridiculous offers and take Harry back before the day is through. Claim temporary insanity, or being on drugs, I don't care. But you'll do it, or so help me God, Lex, I'll…"

"You'll what, Mr. Luthor?"

Lex sagged in relief at Clark's voice, not caring if his father saw it. Clark stood by the desk, ready to intervene. He was sweating slightly, probably from whatever burst of speed he'd had to use to get there so quickly.

Glancing between the two young men for a moment, seeing the determination in Clark and the relief in Lex, Lionel stepped back from his son. A faint sneer of distaste crossed his face as he said to Clark, "I thought you were behind all this, Kent."

Clark shook his head. "Lex is doing it himself, Mr. Luthor. I'm just watching over him as he gets rid of the filth."

"Like a guardian angel," Lionel mused darkly.

Arching an eyebrow at the older man, Clark agreed, "If you like."

Lionel pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Clark. "Or a knight in shining armor, as the case may be. Though I'm a little annoyed that it's my son playing the damsel in distress."

When Clark's face darkened with anger, Lex slipped around his father and joined Clark to look at the paper. It was a mock-up article, with a grainy picture of Lex in Clark's arms in the elevator. Scanning the content of the short piece, Lex saw Clark's name a disturbing number of times. Mention was made of Clark's 'friendship' with Lex in Smallville when he was a minor, as well as his good standing with the GLBT group on campus.

Feeling somewhat faint, Lex took a deep breath and faced his father. Before he could give in, however, Clark's hand rested on his shoulder. Surprised, Lex looked at his friend and nearly melted at the look in Clark's eyes. There was just as much determination as before the paper had been introduced, perhaps more so. Aside from that, there was a soft look aimed at him that Lex hadn't seen in three years.

Clark crumpled up the paper and tossed it to the floor at Lionel's feet. "Go ahead. There's actually nothing in that article that isn't true. Well, aside from why I was carrying Lex in the elevator. He had collapsed from emotional exhaustion. If you check with the driver and the doorman, I was out of the apartment in twenty minutes. And while that's technically enough time to do the deed, I like to think that I have more finesse than that."

Astonished at the words and the confidence with which Clark spoke them, Lex couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up. Plain speaking was a Kent trait, he knew, but this was probably going a little further than Jonathan and Martha had envisioned.

Lionel straightened out his suit and said, "I'm glad that you find this so amusing, Lex. Because that's going to be in tomorrow's edition of The Daily Planet's gossip column. Just think of how Martha and Jonathan will feel when all their neighbors see it. And I understand that the instances of gay bashing are up this year at the university. Such a shame."

Squeezing Lex's shoulder lightly, Clark said, "I'm proud to have Lex as my friend. People will think what they want, there's nothing I can do to stop that."

Lionel walked over to them, staring intently at Clark. "I doubt that you'd be so proud if you knew the details of what he's done since leaving Smallville."

"I already know."

That seemed to stagger Lionel and he repeated, "You already know?"

Clark nodded seriously. "But that's in the past now."

"You don't seem to understand, Clark. Lex has…"

"I do understand," Clark broke in. "I know exactly what he's done and it has no bearing on our friendship. Lex is off limits to you now. You are not to visit him, or call him, or try to intimidate him in any fashion or we'll file a restraining order against you. And how would that look in the morning edition? Because one of my friends is an intern at the Planet and would just love an exclusive."

Lionel glanced at Lex and asked, "Lex? What do you have to say about this?"

Drawing himself up, Lex replied, "Clark's already said it all."

"You're making a big mistake here, Lex."

"No, Dad, I'm correcting one."

They stared at each other for an interminable moment before Lionel walked out, not even slamming the door behind him.

Lex swallowed heavily, his heart and head pounding as his stomach raged with acid. Then he was pulled into Clark's arms and he collapsed against his friend, shaking. He'd faced his father and actually stood up to him. With help, true, but he'd done it. Then he realized that Clark was speaking and, paying attention to the words, flushed with happiness and pleasure.

"I'm so proud of you, Lex, standing up to him like that, you did great," Clark murmured over and over, rubbing his shoulders in a comforting way.

Holding tight to Clark, he could only hope that the rest of his battles went as well.

* * * *

"This isn't exactly the way I figured on telling my folks that you were back in my life," Clark muttered, staring nervously at the phone. He could practically see his dad going for the shotgun.

"Should I worry about that castration now?" Lex questioned with dark humor.

Clark grinned and said, "Nah. Shotgun, maybe."

Lex shuddered. "That I remember a little too well."

Sighing, Clark dialed home and waited for someone to pick up.

On the third ring, his mother answered, "Hello?"

"Mom? It's Clark."

"Hi, honey! This is a surprise!"

"Uh, yeah. Is Dad there?"

"No, he's out."

Clark breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's going on, Clark?"

Hearing the suspicion in her voice, Clark mentally crossed his fingers and answered, "I've kind of run into some trouble here and I need you to keep dad from killing any unintentional causes."

"Lex is back."

Stunned, Clark couldn't speak for a moment, then gasped, "H-how'd you know?"

There was an indelicate snort from the other end as she stated, "He's the only one I know of that you'd want to protect from your father."

"It's really not his fault, Mom, I swear!" Clark promised.

She sighed and asked, "What happened?"

So Clark told her everything. From the first meeting in the quad, to the overpass, with some judicious editing to save Lex embarrassment, to their conversation in the student union and subsequent resumption of their friendship. He finished with Lionel's visit in Lex's office and then stopped, throat dry, anxious as he waited for her response.

"Put Lex on the phone."

Wincing, Clark held out the phone to his friend and said, "She wants to talk to you."

With uncharacteristic hesitance, as though handling a bomb, Lex took the phone and held it to his ear. "Hello, Mrs. Kent."

Clark carefully didn't use his enhanced hearing, though he was dying to know what his mom was saying to Lex.

"Yes, Mrs. Kent. No, I understand completely. Right. Yes, it's true, all of it."

There was a long pause where Lex flushed an unpleasant shade of red in response to whatever Clark's mom was saying.

Clearing his throat, Lex said, "I know."

Another long silence.

"No, I do know. Or, I do now anyhow. I didn't then. It will never happen again, I swear."

Clark chewed on a nail as he waited for his mom to finish chewing out Lex. He knew exactly the disappointed tone that she would use, with undertones of love and understanding that were impossible to resist. He wasn't sure if it was a mom thing in general, or specific to his mom in particular.

Lex cleared his throat again and repeated, "I swear to you, Mrs. Kent, it will never happen again. All right. Um, we'll see you then. Did you want…no? Okay. Good night."

Forcing himself to wait as Lex hung up the phone, Clark remained where he was.

A tentative smile showed on Lex's face as he explained, "Essentially, she said that if I ever did anything like that again, any of it, she was going to personally hand your father the shotgun, but welcome back to the family."

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Clark asked, "When did she want us to come over?"

"Tomorrow night. She wants us both there for dinner," Lex replied with wonder.

Clark clapped him on the shoulder and said, "See? Piece of cake."

* * * *

Chloe paced furiously in the contained space of the dorm room. "I can't believe they're going to print it! It's a piece of crap and sullies the name of the Daily Planet! It's gossip-mongering and slander!"

Clark exchanged a look with Pete, who shrugged. "I thought it was libel if it was in print."

Throwing them both a glare, Chloe snapped, "It doesn't matter! This is trash!"

"It's actually true, for the most part. I mean, I did carry him up to his room and we knew each other in Smallville when I was a minor."

The glare darkened and Clark got to his feet. "I'm just going to, um, finish laundry."

"Clark, wait."

He stopped at the door and looked back as Chloe approached him. She took his hand and said, "I just don't want you to get hurt, you know that, right?"

Smiling, Clark nodded. "I know, Chloe. And I appreciate it, but it's not necessary."

"Yeah? Wait 'til the jocks get hold of you. How're you going to duck around that, Clark?" Pete pointed out.

"That I've been working out?" Clark suggested weakly.

Chloe's chin jutted out stubbornly. "And the reporters hounding your every step? Because being Lex Luthor's boy-toy is going to mean constant surveillence, no more night-flying for you."

Laughing a little, Clark protested, "Guys, I'm not his, ah, boy-toy. We're just friends."

Aggravated, Chloe exclaimed, "It doesn't matter, Clark! God, you can be so dense sometimes!"

"I'm not going to stop seeing him just because of some publicity."

"There! That's what I'm talking about!"

Startled by the almost literal pounce, Clark asked, "What?"

"The way you talk, Clark," Chloe wailed. "It sounds like you're dating him. People are going to just eat it up!"

"Look, I really need to get my clothes before someone steals them, so I'll be back. Try not to wear a hole in the floor, okay?" Clark teased.

"You're way too blase about this, Clark!"

Clark grinned and pointed, "You worry enough for the both us."

* * * *

The Daily Planet was never really quiet, even at 10:38pm as Lex found out. He walked slowly through the main room, passed the reception desk, into the depths of the news room where late night reporters were working on their deadlines. It was a strangely open floorplan. No cubicles, just old fashioned desks.

Finding the office to the Editor-in-Chief wasn't difficult, it was set behind everyone, up a few stairs like walking up a dais. Lex grinned to himself as he recognized the intimidation tactic. Always make people look up to you, literally. Reaching the office, he tapped on the glass part of the door and Perry White glanced up from whatever file it was that he was reading.

After a moment of frowning, White motioned him in and Lex opened the door, stepping inside.

"Have a seat, Luthor," White offered.

The suggestion was pleasant enough, but there was honest distrust and loathing in the glare behind it. It was actually well-hidden, but Lex was all too familiar with the emotions not to recognize them on sight. "That's all right, I won't take up too much of your time."

"What do you want?"

"You're running an article on me in your gossip column tomorrow," Lex stated.

"Yeah, so? Free country."

Lex nodded and said, "I agree. This particular article, however, will have an extremely negative effect on an innocent man."

Snorting, White stated, "I doubt he's innocent if he's hanging around you."

"So it's guilt by association now, is that it? What happened to 'innocent until proven guilty?'"

Lips tightening, White leaned forward, eyeing him angrily. "This is my paper, Luthor. You can't come in here and tell me what to print!"

Holding his hand up, placating, Lex replied, "I'm not telling you to do anything, Mr. White. I am asking you. Clark is a good kid and doesn't deserve this. Don't take your anger with me out on him. The truth behind the story is that I had an emotional collapse that night and Clark was carrying me to my penthouse. You can even print that if you want. He left twenty minutes after getting there, which you can check personally with the doorman, who is not in my employ and has not been bribed."

White stared at him for a long moment. "So there's nothing between you and this kid?"

"Clark is my best friend. He's helping me through an extremely difficult time right now," Lex said simply. "I've caused him a great deal of pain during out friendship, but he still seems to think I'm worth saving for some reason. Thank God. Please don't repay his kindness with this. He'd survive it, Clark's one of the strongest people I know, but he shouldn't have to. And it will close a lot of doors to him that should remain open. He's got a bright future ahead of him, Mr. White. Please don't take it away from him."

"I never thought I'd live to see this day."

"What day would that be?"

"A Luthor, hat in hand, asking for something."

"I can easily change it to begging, if you prefer, Mr. White."

That seemed to startle the older man. "Excuse me?"

"Clark is very important to me, certainly more important than my pride. If you want me to beg, then I will."

* * * *

Standing nervously at the newstand, Clark waited while Lex bought the Planet and brought it over to him. Peering over Lex's shoulder when his friend stopped shuffling through it, Clark stared in shock at the headline: Luthor collapse!

Nowhere in the article was there any mention of Clark, and there was no photograph. It stayed strictly on the topic of Lex's apparent ill-health and speculated that perhaps not all was as it seemed at LexCorp. Meeting Lex's relieved gaze, Clark demanded, "How!?"

"I talked with the Editor, Perry White. And don't worry, I just asked him not to print the original article, I didn't offer any ultimatums and didn't bribe him. As if he'd take one anyhow. I'm don't know what his grudge with me is, but I gave him plenty of personal fodder and carte blanche to use it," Lex explained wryly.

"But, Lex, this is going to affect LexCorp," Clark said with worry.

Staring intently into Clark's eyes, Lex replied, "As long as it doesn't affect you."

Clark flushed and looked away, heat rippling through him at the statement and look in Lex's eyes. He was confused enough already without adding...well...whatever it was between them to the mix. Finally, he said, "We should head out."

Half grinning, Lex accepted the change in subject and they headed for the car parked at the curb.

* * * *

Martha and Jonathan were standing on the porch when Lex parked in the dirt driveway. Neither had changed much in the last few years, though Martha seemed even softer somehow, probably from having given birth. He looked at Clark and muttered, "Help?"

Clark chuckled and took his hand briefly. "It'll be fine, Lex, I promise."

Taking a breath, Lex nodded and they got out of the car. Instantly, a blur of motion careened across the driveway shrieking, "Clark, Clark, Clark!"

With a laugh, Clark caught the blur in his hands and tossed Elizabeth into the air. Lex watched his friend with warmth in his heart. This was Clark at his most relaxed, at home, with his family.

"Lex."

Mentally girding his loins, Lex looked away from the happy spectacle of Clark and his baby sister towards Jonathan. There were more lines in the weathered face than before, Lex saw from up close. The eyes were still sharp as lasers, though, and Lex felt as if he should be begging for forgiveness. These were the people who had made him part of their family, if reluctantly at first, and he had betrayed them.

Hardly able to get the words out, Lex whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, Lex," Martha murmured sadly.

She held out her arms and he went willingly, glad for the comfort as she held him close, stroking his back.

"Come here, son."

To Lex's great surprise, Jonathan was talking to him, not Clark. Hesitating, he said, "Mr. Kent, I..."

"It's in the past," Jonathan stated. "We believe in second chances around here."

With that, he was hauled roughly into a brief, but poignant embrace. Lex held on just as tight and wished to himself that it could have been longer. His father hadn't hugged him since he was a boy, probably about Elizabeth's age, not with any real love or affection, not without the cameras anyhow.

"Lex? This is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is my best friend Lex," Clark introduced, joining them with Elizabeth in his arms.

With copper colored curls and striking blue eyes, Elizabeth was a perfect blend of Martha and Jonathan. She had Martha's delicate features and Lex was positive that an old soul with Jonathan's wisdom looked back at him seriously. Holding out his hand, he greeted, "It's good to meet you, Elizabeth."

After eyeing him for a moment, she grinned suddenly and shoved off from Clark with her feet. Lex caught her by sheer reflex and held tight, afraid that he might drop her. But she settled against him with a contented sigh, snuggling close. Completely unprepared, and more than a little terrified he wasn't ashamed to admit, he looked to the Kents and asked, "What do I do?"

Clark grinned broadly and said, "Hope she doesn't snore."

"Oh, you!" Martha scolded, swatting his backside.

Jonathan echoed his son's grin as he ordered, "All right, everyone inside. Time to eat. Clark, bring in the bags and settle Lex in the guest room. Lex, I believe there are some potatoes that need to be peeled that are just calling your name."

"Jonathan! Let the boys have some fun while they're here," Martha admonished.

"I am. They're not mucking out the stalls."

Lex met Clark's gaze and for a moment, he felt completely surrounded by the love from the people around them. All the bitterness and evil, all the fear and self-doubt were pushed aside because there was just no room for them in this house that love built.

He felt...found.

Then Clark put his arm around Lex's shoulder and led him towards the house and the moment was gone. Gone, but never to be forgotten.