"Isn't that Chloe?" Pete asked letting up on the gas pedal to let the car slow down a little bit as he saw the person on the side of the road in the increasing twilight.
"I think so," Clark told him looking up at Pete's words. As Pete slowed the car down even more Clark wound down the widow."Hey Chloe what's up?" Clark asked as Pete slowed the car to a stop next to her.
" I had Muffy out for a walk and she pulled the leash out of my hand and ran off," Chloe told them barely glancing over at her two friends. She was shining a flashlight into the nearby woods. Muffy was the Sullivan's pet cocker spaniel. Her dad had gotten her as a Christmas present for his daughter three years ago.
"It would probably help to actually go into the woods," Pete commented.
Chloe looked toward the woods and then back at her friends. She had no desire to go into the woods at night. Especially not tonight. The night was overcast and it completely obscured the light from the moon and stars.
"How about we help you look for her," Clark suggested seeing Chloe's apprehension at going into the woods. He couldn't really blame her. Weird things happened in Smallville all the time, especially in some of the wooded areas. This area was also near a couple of crater impacts for the meteor storm twelve years ago. It didn't surprise Clark that the woods creeped Chloe out as she felt that the meteors were the cause of the strange happenings of Smallville.
"That would be great, " Chloe told him casting him a grateful look.She had wanted to ask but she also didn't want to admit to being afraid of going into the woods alone. Pete would never let her live it down.
Pete pulled the car off to the side of the road and put it in park and then he and Clark got out.
"There should be a flashlight or two in the trunk," Pete commented walking toward the back of the car.
Pete opened the trunk and started looking for the flashlight. As he did so another car came by the group.
Clark and Chloe looked toward the car as Pete continued looking in the trunk. Both of them knew immediately who was in the approaching car. Not too many people in Smallville drove a Porsche.
"What's going on?" Lex asked pulling his car off to the side of the road near Clark and Chloe.
"Hey Lex," Clark said to his friend approaching the car. Chloe followed closely behind Cark. "Chloe's dog ran off. Pete and I were going to help her look for it."
"Why don't I hep you guys look," Lex said putting the car in park and getting out.
Pete had found two flashlights and came over to join his two friends. He handed a flashlight to Clark.
"Thank-you," Chloe said gratefully.
"Since there are four of us, why don't we split into two groups," Clark suggested as he took the second flashlight from Pete.
"Okay," Chloe agreed as Pete and Lex nodded their agreement. "Pete why don't you and I pair up," Chloe suggested. She couldn't say why but she didn't want to be out in the woods alone with Lex Luthor and Pete and Lex together would just be a disaster. Pete would probably spend more time fighting with Lex than actually looking for the dog.
"Okay," Pete said.
Lex grabbed a flashlight out from under the driver's seat of the Porsche and then he and Clark started off into the woods in one direction while Pete and Chloe headed in the opposite direction, Chloe calling out her dog's name.
"I'm starting to think this is a loss cause," Lex commented to Clark an hour later as another rabbit scurried into the nearby bushes startling both of.
It had gone from twilight to night and the woods were dark. In a clearing, Clark had looked up to see a dark sky. The clouds had still not cleared out and there was no sign of the stars or the moon in the night sky.
He had to admit Lex had a point. He was starting to get frustrated himself. Still, he didn't want to give up. He knew what Muffy meant to Chloe. He had really been hoping that they would be able to find the dog.
'Maybe Pete and Chloe had better luck,' Clark thought to himself.
He was about to suggest that they head back to the cars when he felt the ground give out beneath him. Clark found himself falling through the air. Suddenly he came to an abrupt stop as he hit the ground with a thud. He heard Lex cry out in pain beside him.
Unfazed by the fall, Clark pushed himself up off the ground, flashlight still in hand. He shined the light in the direction his friend had been when the ground had given away, worried about how bad Lex might be hurt. Lex was trying to sit up but Clark could see the pain etched on his face.
"Lex, what's wrong?" Clark asked moving to his friend's side, putting his arm around Lex's shoulders and helping him sit up.
"My ankle," Lex said through the pain.
Clark shined his light in that direction, thinking that Lex had probably twisted or broken the ankle in the fall. He didn't expect what he saw though.
Lex's left ankle was caught in a bear trap. Clark noticed the rust on the trap, which meant it had been in this place for awhile.
Clark moved so that he was next to the foot that was trapped and sat the flashlight down so that it shone on the trap. He then set to freeing Lex's ankle from the trap. Once Lex's ankle was free, Clark ripped a strip of material from his t-shirt to use as a makeshift bandage. Clark removed Lex's shoe and then wrapped the stip of material around Lex's ankle.
"Now let's see about getting out of this place," Clark said as much to himself as to Lex.
Clark picked the flashlight up and stood up. He shone the light upwards to try and get an idea as to how far they had fallen. It looked to be about twelve feet, a jump that Clark could easily make with his superpowers but too far for him and Lex to be able to climb out even if Lex could bear weight on his injured ankle which Clark wouldn't bet on.
Clark walked the short distance to one of the walls of their "prison". It was packed dirt which didn't help matters. Clark shone the light around the place seeing if there were any vines or anything that they could use to climb out. Other than some broken boards, which had probably been covering the opening, there was nothing else in the place.
"Chloe," Clark yelled out and then listened for an answer. It was a long shot but he was hoping Chloe and Pete might be within hearing distance of them. "Pete," Clark called out next when he didn't hear anything.
"I doubt anyone is going to hear you," Lex commented.
"Lex, don't you have your cell phone on you?" Clark said hopefully. If they could get a call out then he could get help out here.
"It's in the car," Lex said apologetically.
Clark looked back at his friend. It was then that he noticed that Lex was shivering.
The night was cool but it wasn't cool enough for that. Clark was concerned. It probably meant that Lex was going into shock from the injury.
Clark crossed over to Lex, shrugging out of his jacket as he did so. He knelt down next to his friend and draped the jacket around Lex's shoulders.
"Thanks Clark," Lex said as he pulled the jacket tighter around himself.
Clark knelt there beside his friend trying to figure out what to do. He knew Pete and Chloe would eventually come looking for them. The question was how long that would be and how long it would take them to find Lex and himself. The other factor was Lex's injury. Not only was there the risk of tetanus from the rusted metal, but there was also the blood loss. Lex might not have the time it would take for Chloe and Pete or anyone else to find them.
Clark could easily get the both of them out of there but it would mean using his superpowers. That would mean revealing his secret to Lex. As much as he liked Lex he wasn't sure telling him about his powers was such a good idea. There were times that he still didn't know what to make of Lex. Would the young billionaire keep his secret or try exploiting him.
Clark shone his light on the injured ankle again. There was blood showing through the bandage. Clark ripped some more material off of his shirt and wrapped it around the first bandage. Clark knew that if the bleeding didn't stop soon he would be faced with the choice of using his superpowers or watching his friend die.
Clark looked again toward the top of the hole. He knew if it came down to it that he would use his powers to save Lex's life. He'd have too. He wasn't going to let Lex die if he could save him.
"This isn't exactly how I thought I was going to die," Lex commented softly. There was something in his tone that concerned Clark more than the words did. Clark could hear the defeat in his friend's voice.
"Don't talk like that Lex," Clark said. "We're going to get out of here," Clark told him confidently. 'Even if that means you find out my secret,' Clark added silently to himself.
"Ever the optimist aren't you Clark."
"Someone has to be," Clark told him with a smile.
Clark glanced down at the ankle again. Already blood was starting to show through the second strip of material. Clark concentrated and listened with his super hearing. All he heard were the animals of the woods and the wind blowing through the trees. There was no signs that anyone had even started looking for them yet.
Clark made up his mind. He wasn't going to gamble with Lex's life. His friend needed medical attention and he was going to get it for him.
"Clark what are you doing?" Lex asked as Clark easily picked him up off the ground.
"Getting us out of here and you to the hospital," Clark replied bending his knees and getting ready to make the jump.
"How . . ." Lex started to ask as Clark made the jump and easily landed on the edge of the hole. "Clark how did you do that?"
"I'll explain everything later," Clark told him. "I need to get you to the hospital right now," he told him as Clark started in the direction of the Smallville Medical Center at super speed.
"How much longer are we going to wait?" Chloe asked Pete as the two of them stood by Pete's car. Muffy was curled up in the back seat sleeping. Chloe was starting to get worried. She would have thought that Clark and Lex would have come back to the cars by now, even though they hadn't had any luck. They probably should have set a time to meet back at the cars no matter what, at least then they wouldn't have been worrying if something was wrong or not.
Pete glanced at his watch.
"It has been awhile hasn't it," Pete commented. "What do you say we go look for them," Pete suggested.
"It's about time," Chloe said. She had suggested that twenty minutes ago and Pete had called her a worry rat.
Pete and Chloe headed back into the woods calling out for Clark and Lex. Chloe hoped nothing had happened to either of them.
They hadn't been back in the woods more than ten minutes when Pete heard a familiar voice call out his name. Pete looked off to his left to see Clark peeking around a tree.
"Chloe I'm going to check something out in this direction. I'll be right back," he told her hoping she wouldn't insist on following him. The fact that Clark was hiding behind a tree told him that Clark didn't want Chloe to know he was out here for some reason.
"Just don't go too far," Chloe told him not wanting the two of them to get separated.
"I won't," Pete told her and then headed in the direction of the tree Clark was hiding behind.
"Clark, what's going on?" Pete asked his friend quietly. He took in the dirt and blood on his friend. He knew that Clark couldn't be injured unless he was exposed to the meteor rocks for too long so he knew the blood wasn't Clark's. "What happened? And where is Lex?"
"Lex and I stumbled upon some kind of hole out there in the woods. Lex was hurt but I got him to the hospital. He's getting treatment now."
"Does that mean . . ."
"That he knows about my powers, yes," Clark told him. He saw Pete's disapproving look. It was the same look that he knew he was going to get from his father. "I had to Pete. I couldn't let him die."
"This town might have been better off with one less Luthor," Pete said without really thinking about it.
"Pete," Clark scolded.
"Sorry," Pete said. He didn't understand what it was that Clark saw in Lex Luthor.
"Look Pete, Lex might know but I would still like to keep it from Chloe."
"What do you want me to do?" Pete asked him willing to do anything to keep Clark's secret.
"Tell Chloe that you think the two of you should go get help looking for me and Lex. Head to my house. Once the two of you leave I'll get Lex's cell phone from his car and call my Dad and tell him what's going on and that the two of you are on your way. He'll help you with the story to tell Chloe."
"Okay," Pete told his friend.
Pete headed back in the direction that Chloe was in. He could hear her calling out Clark's name and see the light from her flashlight.
"Did you find anything?" she asked Pete as he rejoined her.
"No," Pete told her. "Look, Chloe I think we should go get help looking for them. Clark's house is closest. Why don't we head there and tell his Dad what is going on. Mr. Kent will know what to do."
"But what if they come back to the cars?"
"They'll see that my car is gone. I'm sure Lex has his cell phone. Clark will call somebody to let them know what's going on if that is the case."
"Okay," Chloe said. She was really worried about her two friends. They were out here because they were helping her out. If anything happened to either of them she would feel bad.
Chloe and Pete headed back to the cars and got into Pete's car. Then they headed for the Kent farm. Though he knew there was no real emergency, Pete went a little over the speed limit to make it look good for Chloe.
As soon as their car was out of sight, Clark came out of the woods and headed for Lex's Porsche. He used Lex's keys, which he had gotten from Lex, to open the door and got in behind the wheel. He found Lex's cell phone and used it to call his Dad.
As expected his Dad wasn't too happy about the situation. He wanted Clark to come right home but Clark had promised Lex he would come back to the hospital.
"Then I'll meet you there, Clark," Jonathan told him.
"But Pete and Chloe . . ." Clark started to protest.
"Your mom will stay here and wait for them," Jonathan said cutting his son off. "She can tell them that you called from the hospital. We'll stick to the truth. Lex fell, hurt his ankle and you took him to the hospital."
"Okay, Dad. I'll see you at the hospital then," Clark told his dad.
"Clark, just be careful when you go back," Jonathan told his son. "If Lex told anyone about your secret . . ."
"I don't think he would Dad," Clark said in defense of his friend although he had his own doubts. Still something Lex had said echoed in his mind.
"I'd do anything to protect my friends Clark. That's the truth."
Clark just hoped that Lex still considered him his friend as a more recent conversation came to mind.
"If a person's deceived me once, I find it hard to give him a second chance."
It was very likely that any chance of his friendship with Lex working out had just disappeared.
"He sprained his left wrist in the fall along with the ankle injury. We've stopped the bleeding but he lost a lot of blood which has left him weak. The bear trap also caused a hairline fracture in the ankle bone. I'd like to admit him but he's adamant that he isn't staying here. I'm not done trying to convince him otherwise yet," the doctor told Clark upon his return to the Smallville Medical Center. They were standing outside of the examining room in the ER where Lex was resting.
"Can I see him?" Clark asked.
"Yeah, you can go in," the doctor told him. "He's been fading in and out though because of the medicine he's on."
Clark nodded and then stepped into the examining room. He closed the door behind him.
Lex's eyes were closed and his face was just as pale as when Clark had brought him into the hospital. Clark also noticed the ace bandage on the left wrist and the air cast on the injured ankle. Clark grabbed a nearby chair and dragged it over to the bedside. Clark sat down in the chair and then reached out to take his friend's hand.
What if I had waited to long, Clark thought to himself? The doctor had said Lex was going to be okay but the thought that it could've gone the other way crossed his mind. Clark hated having to keep secrets from the people he cared about. To have to worry about making a decision between keeping his secret and protecting his family and saving someone's life. And it was all because of his powers.
On the other hand, it was because of his powers that he had been able to save Lex. If he hadn't been able to make that jump he and Lex might still be at the bottom of that hole and Lex would be in worse shape than he was now. Clark knew he could have also been injured in the fall if it weren't for his powers, and then he might not have been able to help Lex at all.
His powers came with blessings and with curses. That was the way it was. He was going to have to learn to live with it.
Clark heard the door open behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see his Dad enter the room. Jonathan Kent was not at all happy but Clark decided he looked more concerned than angry which was a good sign with his father.
"How is he?" Jonathan asked his son quietly. Clark told him what the doctor had told him keeping his voice down in an attempt not to disturb Lex.
"Dad, I had to do it. I had to save him. Maybe I could've waited a little longer but he's my friend. I didn't want to take the chance that . . ." Clark let his voice trail off. Saying what he was thinking would make it seem too real somehow.
"I know Clark," Jonathan said resting a hand on his son's shoulder. Jonathan had always known that Clark wouldn't hesitate to use his powers to save his friends and whether he liked it or not Lex Luthor fell into that category. "I'm proud of you son."
"Are you really Dad?" Clark found himself asking. He knew how his dad felt about the Luthors. Clark found it hard to believe that his father was at all happy about a Luthor knowing his secret.
"Yes son, I am. I may not like him but that doesn't mean I want you to let him die if you could save his life. That I would let him die if I could save his life."
"I know Dad," Clark said sorry he had even said that. Clark knew his father wouldn't kill to protect Clark's secret. He had shown that during the storm with Nixon. Nixon knew about Clark and was going to expose him. Even knowing that Jonathan hadn't been able to take Nixon's life.
"I'm going to go find the doctor and see about taking Lex out to our place for a little while. There is no way they're ever going to be able to convince Lex to stay here," Jonathan told Clark.
"Thanks Dad," Clark said. He had wanted to suggest that but hadn't wanted to bring it up. Not with his dad being upset with him revealing his powers to Lex.
Clark watched his Dad leave the room. As the door shut behind him Clark heard a voice softly say his name.
"Clark."
Clark looked back toward his friend to see Lex trying to open his eyes.
"Hey Lex," Clark said to his friend thankful that he was awake. "How are you feeling?" Clark asked him.
"Lucky," Lex told him looking directly at his friend. "Thanks again for saving my life."
"What are friends for," Clark told him easily. He could feel his cheeks getting warm. He still wasn't comfortable with the gratitude he often got but he tried to take it as best he could. Clark would prefer not to have the attention at all.
Still there was something that Clark wanted to ask his friend. Something that he needed to know.
"Lex what did you tell the doctor about what happened? Did you . . ." Clark let his voice trail off. The last question was starting to sound like more of a accusation than anything else. He didn't want to accuse Lex of anything as that could create more problems.
"Don't worry Clark," Lex told his friend."I didn't say anything that might give you away. I told them that we were out looking for a lost dog and I stumbled upon the bear trap. I told them that you freed my ankle from the trap and then drove me here."
Clark let out a sigh of relief, grateful that his friend hadn't said anything that might cause suspicion, like the fact that they had fallen into the hole. Questions might have been raised about how they managed to get out of it.
"Clark I told you once before that I would do anything to protect my friends. I meant that," Lex told him. "No matter what it takes, I'll protect your secret."
Clark could tell just from looking into his eyes that Lex meant what he was saying. There had been times in the past that Lex had been vague about something. Not telling the whole truth. Still, to Clark's knowledge his friend had never directly lied to him.
"Then we're still friends?" Clark asked, pretty sure of the answer but needing to hear it from Lex.
"Of course we are Clark," Lex said trying to figure out where that question had come from. What would have ever given Clark the idea that he wouldn't be his friend after this. Then Lex remembered their conversation from a couple of weeks ago, about Lex giving his father the benefit of the doubt. His own words echoed in his head.
"Once a person has deceived me once, I find it hard to give him a second chance."
When he had said those words, Lex had noticed the look that had flashed across Clark's face. It was as if Clark thought he had lost a friend. Lex had dismissed it at the time. So much was going on at the time that Lex hadn't really even thought about what that look had meant.
Knowing what he did now, Lex understood that look. Clark had felt as if he had deceived Lex by keeping his powers from him and felt that once Lex knew that Lex wouldn't forgive him.
"Clark, believe me I understand why you keep your powers from people. Kept them from me," Lex told him thinking about the things he had kept from his friend himself. They were both guilty of keeping secrets. If he expected Clark to forgive him than he had to do the same. "I just hope from now on we can both be more open with one another."
Clark nodded. Now that Lex knew about a couple of his abilities he knew he was going to tell Lex the whole story. He just hoped that Lex took it better than Pete had at first.
"Clark I want to ask you something. Something that I've asked you before but that I hope now you will tell me everything."
"You want to know what happened that day on the bridge don't you?" Clark asked. He knew that was what Lex was getting at. Clark knew how much that accident had bothered Lex. Lex had been convinced that he had hit Clark but the fact that Clark was just fine after the ordeal contradicted that. Clark had hated having to lie to him. He had gotten lucky when Lex had approached him with his theory about what had happened in that he had temporarily loss his powers at that time. When Clark had been injured it had convinced Lex that he was wrong.
"I did hit you that day didn't I?" It was more of a statement than a question and Clark didn't miss the haunted look in his friend's eyes. Clark had almost hit a deer once with his Dad's truck and that had spooked him enough. He didn't want to even imagine how he would feel if he had hit a person even accidently.
"Yes, you did. I was standing there on the bridge thinking about things . . ."
Clark was finishing up the story when he heard the doorknob to the room turn. He stopped talking and turned to see who was entering the room.
The doctor walked in followed by Clark's Dad.
"So are you still adamant about not staying here?" the doctor asked looking past Clark an toward Lex.
"Yes. You want me to sign out AMA then just give me the papers. I hate hospitals," Lex told him, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
"A lot of our patients feel that way," the doctor commented. "However, that won't be necessary as long as you agree to take Mr. Kent up on his offer. He's offered to have you stay out at his place for the next couple of days."
"Are you sure?" Lex asked looking past the doctor at Mr. Kent. He knew Jonathan Kent was trying to keep an open mind when it came to him, especially after he had saved his life, but he also knew that Jonathan Kent didn't particularly care for him.
"Yes," Jonathan told him confidently. "You'll have an easier time getting around our place than you will that mansion of yours," Jonathan told him. Lex didn't miss the unspoken message though. He knew Mr. Kent also wanted to make sure that Lex knew just how important it was that he didn't reveal Clark's secret.
Lex nodded. The doctor took it to mean that Lex was agreeing to stay at the Kent's place.
"Good," the doctor said. "I'm going to give you crutches but I doubt you're going to want to use them too much for the first couple of days with that sprained wrist. That shouldn't take to long to heal though as long as you don't re-injure it. The hairline fracture of the ankle bone however is going to take a couple of weeks to heal. You'll need to keep the weight off of it during that time. I've already given and went over the care instructions for the wound. I'll want to see you back here in a week to remove the stitches," he told Lex as he started writing something down on a pad. He ripped off the top page and handed it to Lex. "That's a prescription for pain medication. I suggest you get it filled but you only need to use it if you feel its necessary."
Lex nodded again.
"The nurse will be in shortly with a wheel chair to help you out to the car," the doctor said. "And before you try to protest that, it is hospital policy."
" I wish we knew what was going on," Chloe said from her spot at the Kent's kitchen table. Chloe wanted to know what had happened. How bad Lex was really injured. She felt bad about what had happened. Lex had been out there because of her. His injury was her fault.
"I'm sure they'll call soon," Martha told the young girl reaching out a hand and letting it rest on her arm.
Pete looked sympathetically at his friend. He wished he could tell her everything was going to be okay. He knew Clark had gotten Lex to the hospital in time. Clark hadn't said so but Pete knew his friend wouldn't have taken the chance of not doing so. He couldn't tell Chloe that though. As far as she knew, he hadn't talked to Clark since they had all started looking for her dog.
Outside they heard car doors shut.
"That's probably Clark and Jonathan now," Martha said standing up and heading for the door. Chloe got up and followed her while Pete remained at the table He wasn't going to say so, but he really didn't care how Lex Luthor was.
Martha opened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch to see Clark and Jonathan coming toward the house. Lex was between them, leaning on the other two for support. Jonathan had a pair of crutches in his free hand.
As the three slowly made there way up the porch steps Martha noticed the ace bandage on Lex's left wrist which explained why he wasn't using the crutches right then.
Martha reached out and took the crutches from Jonathan as Chloe held open the screen door.
Clark and Jonathan helped Lex into the living room and got him settled on the couch.
"I'll get the guest room ready," Martha said to no one in particular. She knew the only reason Jonathan would have brought Lex out to the farm instead of back to his place was if Lex was stying with them.
"Lex, I'm so sorry," Chloe said as she stood by the doorway of the living room looking miserable.
"This isn't your fault Chloe," Lex told her.
"Yes it is. You wouldn't have been out there if you hadn't been helping me look for Muffy."
"And it also wouldn't have happened if I had been paying more attention to where I was walking. It's not your fault," he told her again. "Did you and Pete find the dog?" Lex asked her.
"Yeah, we did."
"That's good," Lex replied, genuinely happy that she had found the dog..
"Chloe it's getting late," Pete said coming up behind her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you let me give you a ride home?" Pete offered. He knew that Lex and the Kents had some things to talk about. Things that they wouldn't want to discuss with Chloe in the house. He just hoped that Clark was right about Lex. He didn't want to see the Kent's life ruined by Lex Luthor and with what Lex now knew, he had the power to do exactly that.
"Okay," Chloe said knowing that hanging around wasn't going to accomplish anything. She knew that Lex was in good hands being with the Kents. She would probably just get in the way. "Thanks for your help tonight Lex," Chloe said tentatively.
"Your welcome," Lex told her. "And stop blaming yourself Chloe. I'm going to be okay."
Chloe just nodded not trusting her voice. Even if Lex didn't blame her she still blamed herself.
"I'll walk the two of you out," Clark said worried about Chloe. He could tell that Lex's words hadn't helped any. That Chloe still felt that Lex's injuries were her fault. He knew how she felt as he felt the same way. If he had been paying better attention he would've seen that hole.
Six weeks later:
Jonathan Kent sat in the living room with his paper. Across from him, Martha sat mending one of his shirts that he had torn working on the farm. The sound of the telephone ringing broke the comfortable silence in the house.
With a sigh, Jonathan put aside his paper and stood up. He walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone.
"Hello," he said into the receiver.
"Dad," came Clark's frantic voice over the line. "The Talon was just robbed!"
"What! Clark is everyone okay?" Jonathan asked. He knew his son couldn't be hurt but his friends could. Jonathan was worried about Lana and Pete whom he knew had been at the Talon tonight with Clark.
"Pete had just left and Lana shaken up but physically she's okay," Clark told him. Clark hesitated and Jonathan knew someone had been hurt. Had Chloe been at the Talon? "Dad Lex was shot. The paramedics just left for the hospital with him."
" Okay Clark, just stay put. I'll come get you and we'll head to the hospital together," Jonathan told him. He could tell his son wanted to say more but he didn't press him as it might be something that Clark didn't want to say around anyone.
"Okay Dad," Clark replied.
"Jonathan what's wrong?" Martha asked as he hung up the phone.
"The Talon was robbed tonight," Jonathan told her as he hung up the phone. "Evidently Lex was the only one hurt and Clark seems pretty upset about it. I'm going to go get him and then we'll head over to Smallville Medical."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Martha asked.
"It's not necessary. Clark's fine. There is no need for all three of us to be hanging around the hospital. I'll call you as soon as we know anything about Lex," he told her picking up his jacket and heading out the door. He put the jacket on as he walked to the truck.
"Lana, are you okay," Gabe Sullivan asked as he arrived at the Talon with Chloe right behind him. He had left for the Talon as soon as the police had called about the robbery. Though he was relieved that it hadn't been Lana that had been shot he was concerned about his boss. Although he wouldn't have thought it was possible, Gabe had come to respect Lex Luthor since his father had sent him to Smallville.
"Yeah. Just a little shaken," Lana told him.
"Why don't we take you home," Gabe suggested.
Lana shook her head at his suggestion.
"No, I want to go to the hospital to see how Lex is doing. He saved us tonight," Lana said fighting back her tears.
"Okay," Gabe said putting an arm around her shoulders. He could tell arguing with her would get him nowhere. Not to mention the hospital was where he wanted to head himself. "Clark, do you want to come with us," he asked turning to the young man sitting on a near-by stool.
"My Dad's on his way," Clark told him.
"Okay," Gabe said. He turned and started leading Lana out of the Talon to the waiting car.
"Do you want me to wait with you Clark?" Chloe asked.
"No, I'll be fine, go with your Dad and Lana. I'll meet you at the hospital."
"Okay," Chloe said still not entirely sure she should leave him alone. As she looked toward the door though she saw Mr. Kent enter the Talon. "I'll see you at the hospital," she told him and then turned to catch up to her father and Lana.
Jonathan nodded to Chloe as he walked by her on his way over to his son. Clark stood up as his father approached him. Clark let his father pull him close.
"It's my fault," Clark said fighting back tears.
"Clark you can't go blaming yourself," Jonathan told his son. "You didn't rob this place. You didn't have the gun. This is their fault not yours."
"You don't understand Dad, Lex got shot protecting me. Protecting my secret. It should've been me not him," Clark said.
Jonathan hugged his son closer still not quite sure what he was talking about. After a few moments he felt Clark start to pull away.
"Come on," Jonathan told him. "You can tell me what happened on the way to the hospital."
Jonathan put his arm around Clark's shoulders and started leading them to the waiting truck. They got in and Jonathan pulled the truck away from the curb and headed for the medical center.
"You want to tell me what happened Clark."
Clark hesitated a moment but then started telling his Dad about what had happened.
"It wasn't quite closing time, but except for the three of us the Talon was empty. Lex and I were sitting at the counter talking to Lana as she started cleaning up. Seeing as no one was in the place and it was close to closing time anyway Lex decided to lock up early. Lana handed him the keys but he stopped as soon as he turned toward the door. I looked in that direction and saw the two guys. They had ski masks on and one of them had a gun."
"They came toward the counter, the one without the gun tossing the bag at Lana and telling her to put the money in it. Lana fumbled with the bag and I remember the guy with the gun yelling at her to hurry up or he was going to shoot me. I guess Lana wasn't fast enough for him. I heard him pull the trigger and I heard Lana scream but I never felt the bullet hit me because Lex jumped in front of me."
"As I lowered Lex to the floor and put pressure on the wound, the other guy yelled at Lana to finish putting the money in the bag. I guess she did because soon the two guys were running out of the Talon. I considered going after them but I didn't want to leave Lex."
"You did the right thing by not going after them Clark," Jonathan told him. "Let the police deal with them."
"Dad why did Lex do that? Why did he jump in front of me like that? He knew I couldn't be hurt by the bullet."
"You wouldn't have been physically hurt Clark but your secret would've been out. Lex did what he did because he was keeping his promise to you. He was protecting your secret. It would've been quite difficult to explain why the bullet didn't hurt you."
"I just hope Lex is going to be okay."
"So do I, Clark. So do I." Jonathan said as he realized how wrong he had been about Lex Luthor. He knew now he didn't have to worry about Lex revealing Clark's secret. In his mind he heard Lex's words from six weeks ago.
"I promise you Mr. Kent that I will keep Clark's secret no matter what. Even if it means giving my life to protect it."
Jonathan had doubted that promise at the time. Luthor's weren't known to keep their word. They would use anything they could to gain something for themselves. At least Lionel Luthor would. Evidently, there was something more to his son.
Soon, Jonathan was parking the truck in the parking lot of the medical center. He and Clark got out and hurried toward the entrance. They found Gabe Sullivan in the waiting room of the ER.
"Any word Gabe?" Jonathan asked him.
"They removed the bullet and have stopped the bleeding. They don't think there is going to be any permanent damage to his shoulder. He should be fine. Lana and Chloe are in with him now. The doctor wants to keep visitors to two at a time."
Clark let out a sigh of relief.
A few minutes later Chloe and Lana came back into the waiting room.
"How is he?" Clark asked them.
"Already talking about wanting out of here," Lana replied with a smile. The fact that Lex was ranting about how much he hated hospitals told her that he was going to be okay.
"He was asking for you Clark," Chloe told him. "I told him we'd send you in as soon as you got here."
"Why don't you go now Clark," Gabe Sullivan said. "I'll wait. He's in room 108."
"Thank-you," Clark said as he started in the direction Chloe and Lana had come from. "Dad will you come with me?" he asked looking over his shoulder.
With a nod Jonathan joined his son. He wanted to thank Lex anyways. Thank him for putting his life on the line to protect Clark's life. Even though the bullet wouldn't have harmed Clark it could have very easily have put an end to everything Clark knew. Destroyed Clark's life as well as his and Martha's. There was no doubt in his mind anymore that Lex was truly Clark's friend and that Clark had been right about Lex all along. Jonathan still knew there was a darkness inside Lex but maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe all Lex needed was someone to show him another way and maybe just maybe it was his family that could do that.