"Take me down to the river," Clark looked up as Lex's voice preceded him, couldn't help but smile when his saw Lex's. "Send with me your hope and love, least I may be forgiven the sins I have done unto you in life. Handful by handful, your gentle kindness may guide me to the unknown and quiet my fears. Find it in you, if possible, to bestow onto my receding self, the gift of your parting smile. For with that blessing on my course, I will be warm, the rivers' cold may not penetrate through that barrier. Watch, long after I go, remember the good times, let go of the bad. Lay me to rest, with a promise to return to the river, and stop me from being alone."
Lex finished, sitting down on the couch by Clark.
"That was beautiful Lex, what was it?"
"The last request I can possibly beg of you."
Clark felt a chill crawl down his spine and was suddenly cold. He hadn't been cold in years. "What?"
"Say you'll do it Clark, please."
"Lex, I don't get it." Clark's hand landed on Lex's shoulder.
"I'm dying, in very few short months I will reach my end and I'm trying to get everything in order now before the shock of it all hits. Now, go along with it and say that you'll do it without any fuss, because if you break down, how am I supposed to stay strong?"
"Lex, I, how, what..."
"Ok, Clark, I understand, I'm laying a lot on you at once. How about you come to the mansion later, when you're ready? Anytime, I'll be there."
Lex patted Clark's knee, stood up and rushed out of the barn. Clark followed slowly, but when he saw Lex speeding away, he couldn't help but follow.
*
Clark paced outside of Lex's mansion. He watched as all of Lex's servants were dismissed, until he knew for a fact that Lex was alone in the house, standing and watching several television screens at once, leaning over the back of the couch.
Clark found himself in the same room with Lex; not sure of what was happening.
"They don't know yet, I mean, they can't know, otherwise they'd be spouting it all over the screen. I can just see it 'Proof that Luthors Are Just Human: Youngest Luthor Diagnosed Earlier Today.'" Lex laughed mirthlessly. "God, I always hated that word. Diagnosed. It just sounds like someone did something dirty, namely me. I don't know, what do you think Clark?"
"Do you have any idea what you're asking me?"
Lex frowned. "What you think of the word diagnosed?"
"No, no that's not what I'm talking about and you damn well know it. I mean earlier."
"I'm asking you to take my ashes, dump them in the river, pretend that you want to give me a nice little smile, than go on your merry little way and perhaps come back every now and then, which shouldn't seem so outlandish, your parents do live here."
"No, you're asking me to give you up without a fight. I can't do that Lex."
"There is nothing to fight for. You can't save me from this Clark, I'm not dying from some outside source, my body is killing itself, and that says something. Some things shouldn't be fought."
Clark took two steps towards Lex, then stopped. "Yeah, well this isn't one of them. You can't die, you're not allowed to."
"Tell that to my doctors."
"What did they say?"
"Oh, you know, a lot of big words, several syllables and fancy names designed to scare the shit out of people. I contracted a blood disease, a very rare, nearly extinct blood disease. They don't know how I got it, or if it was just something I was born with and I don't much care either way. The only important things they had to say was no possible cure and three months."
"Three months?"
"Until I die, that's right."
Clark ran the rest of the way to Lex, hugged him closely, pressing their bodies together. "That's more than enough time." He whispered, then released Lex and left the room faster than Lex's eyes could see.
Lex watched the blur out of the mansion from the window, a soft smile on his lips, shaking his head.
*
"Hi honey, you're just in time to try my new cookie recipe." Martha held out the cookie sheet to Clark, who just stared at her like she was crazy. "Clark, what's wrong?"
"Nothing Mom, nothing's wrong." Clark said, starting to leave.
Just then Jonathan walked into the kitchen. "Clark, son, I just heard about Lex,"
"What?"
"Listen, Dad, it's nothing, whatever you heard was an exaggeration, you know how rumors can be."
"What rumor?"
"Clark, this isn't just a rumor. People are saying it all the way from Smallville to Metropolis."
"Ok, so it's a very widespread rumor. Just because a lot of people are saying it doesn't make it true."
"Make what true?"
Jonathan looks at Clark, sighing. "Son, you're going to have to face this, denying it won't make it go away."
"Deny what?"
"I'm not denying anything, I'm just not jumping to conclusions like the rest of the world seems to be doing."
"Does the rest of the world include Lex too?"
"Yes."
"Then maybe there's a reason why everyone, including Lex, believes it."
"And if I was told that I could jump off a bridge and not get hurt, should I believe that too?" Clark closed his eyes. "Ok, bad example, but I'm not going to just accept this because everyone else is."
"Accept what? Could someone please tell me what's going on?"
Clark holds his hands up. "Go on Dad, since I have it so wrong, you'd better tell her, go on."
Jonathan looks at Clark for a second, taking a breath, then he shifts his gaze to his wife. "It seems that while Lex was in Metropolis he was sent to the hospital and they ran some tests on him. Apparently his blood had thinned out and it caused him to collapse while they were doing some blood work. So they ran more tests and came to the conclusion that he has some kind of blood disease. After consulting with a blood and tissue expert they decided-"
"They decided that there's no cure for Lex, so they'd just give up because they don't have an easy answer. They convinced him that there isn't any hope and that he only has three months to live." Clark can't help but interrupt his father. "I mean, what kind of doctor does that. 'Hey, hello, nice to meet you and all, but we ran these tests, figuring that something was wrong. When we discovered, to our utter shock, that something was, in fact, wrong, we talked over it and came to the conclusion that there was nothing that we can do for you, because there is no precedent. We're so sorry we couldn't find any treatment, but we managed to estimate the time of your death, at the rate the disease is going, that should make you feel better. Sorry, nothing else we can do, have a great life. For a little while.' Christ, those bastards."
"Clark, honey, I'm so sorry." Martha attempted to hug Clark, who pulled away.
"Don't be sorry for me, nothing's wrong. Don't you get it, the doctors aren't right this time, they have it mixed up, Lex isn't going to die."
"Clark, I think that you need to go to your room and this about this very carefully."
"There's nothing to think about,"
"Then just go to your room. Your mother and I need to talk."
"You mean you need to convince her not to try to help Lex too, don't you?"
"Clark, just go to your room."
Clark glared at his father for a second, then backed down. "Fine, go ahead and convince whoever you want. It won't matter though, I know the truth."
Of course, Jonathan must have forgotten who his son was, because as soon as Clark closed and locked the door to his room, he jumped right out the window, heading for the Talon, a plan formulating in his mind.
"Clark, what are you doing here?" Lana asked, coming over and leaning too close to Clark for her good girl reputation to keep up with. But that's ok, right, she's Lana, she'd never try to seduce Clark. Oh no.
"Have you seen Chloe?"
"Chloe?" Lana asked, moving away from Clark.
"Yeah, you know, the girl that you live with?"
"I know who you're talking about Clark." Lana said, walking behind the counter at Clarks less than gentle tone. "You've came to the right place, she's actually meeting me here in a few minutes. Look, here she comes now."
"See Lana, I'm not late for – Clark, what are you doing here?"
"Chloe, I need the password to your computer."
"What? Wow, slow down, why do you need my password?"
"Because I'm going to use it."
"Excuse me you're –"
"Chloe, come one, I don't have time for this, can you just give me the password and yell at me later?"
"Sure Clark, but if anything's-"
"I won't touch any of your stuff, I swear. Just give me the password." Chloe sighed, whispered something, but Clark heard it anyway. "Petealicious, right, thanks Chloe." Clark was already gone before Lana started laughing.
*
"Dr. Pittston? No, no, don't go for the intercom please, I know what that means, and I've traveled a very long way and I'd be very upset if I got kicked out of here before I could even ask for your help."
Paying no attention to Clark, Dr. Pittston's hand continued in its momentum, only to land on the surface of the desk. Clark held the intercom in his hands.
"Before you say anything, I'm not here to cause trouble. It's just very important that I talk to you, and I'm on a limited time schedule, which I realize that you yourself are usually on, but I know that you have the next couple of days off, and I just need a few hours of your time."
"I don't have the time to indulge a curious teenage boy-"
"You don't have a choice. Trust me, this will be easier if you'll just help me. Just for a little while. Because I know nothing about blood, or, or how it works, or anything. You do, and I need that information."
"Alright, you have thirty seconds to tell me what you need."
"It's not me, it's my friend, I don't want him to die."
Thirty hours later Dr. Pittston had called in one of his colleagues and they were both explaining the finer medical points to Clark that only years of experience and experimentation will give you. Unless you happen to have a very convincing story.
"What if you were to inject the distilled part of Sample A into Sample D, then there would be a higher red blood cell count –"
"What makes you think that inject Sample A is even an option?" Dr. Merle interrupted him.
"Why wouldn't it be? Sample A has an overabundant amount of red blood cells, Sample D needs more red cells."
"But Sample A has overabundant red cells due to a disease. You would be injecting that disease along with the cells."
"Yes, but that disease causes white blood cells to die, which is why there are so many red. Sample D has too many white cells for the same reason. If you were to inject one into the other, with several series of the new drug, than the two diseases should cancel each other out."
"In theory, yes," Dr. Pittston interrupted, yawning. "But diseases don't work like that and the new drug is untested and dangerous, I don't even know if I want to make it public, it's too potent. Human DNA just has too many faults to nonchalantly mix them together and see if it will work."
"I hate to say this, but I don't think there's anything else for us to do here, we've hypothesized nearly everything and I'm dead tired, I can't even think hard enough to remember where I parked my car."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kent, but I don't think that there's anything you can do. From what I can tell right now, unless there's some kind of miracle, your friends doesn't have a chance."
"And real doctors don't believe in miracles, right?"
"Right."
"Well, I guess it's good that I'm not a doctor then, because I'm not giving up." Dr. Pittston and Dr. Merle smiled at him. "Thank you for wasting your valuable time on me, you won't regret it one day." Clark said, shaking their hands.
"What you're doing is very admirable, Mr. Kent. And I hope you get whatever it is you're looking for."
"Thank you, sir." Clark said, then disappeared.
*
"Clark where have you been?"
"A research center just off the coast of the Atlantic."
"What?"
"You asked."
"Never mind. Your father and I have been worried sick about you. So has Lex."
"Lex knows that I can take care of myself."
"Is that Clark?" Jonathan asked, nearly breaking down the front door as he threw it open, pointing a finger at Clark angrily. "You have some explaining to do young man."
"Oh, calm down, I'm alright."
"Don't you take that tone with me Clark. You just can't disappear for two days, not tell anyone, and then reappear like you had just been out for coffee. You are still a minor, still our responsibility."
Clark stopped himself from just yelling back at his father, knowing that now was not the time, that it was just too soon. He closed his eyes pretending to be tired. "I'm sorry Mom, Dad, I just, I just needed time to think. I'm sorry."
"Damn right you're sorry."
"Jonathan." Martha stopped her husband with a look. "Clark, why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep. Your father and I will discuss this, and talk to you about it later."
Clark quickly left, knowing this was a good opportunity for him to manipulate. Once again he jumped out his window, knowing that his mom hadn't realized that there was, indeed and good reason for him not to go upstairs and sleep.
*
Lex was asleep on the couch, a bottle of water held loosely in his hands. Clark sat down by him, gently taking away the bottle. Lex stirred, smiled when he saw that it was Clark sitting by him.
"Hi Lex," Clark sat the bottle on the floor, placing one hand on the back of the couch, the other on the outside so that he was hovering over Lex.
Lex frowned slightly. "Where have you been?" Lex asked slowly, still half asleep.
"A research center. Sorry I didn't call."
"That's ok, I've been pretty busy, arranging things for LexCorp."
"Have you talked to your father yet?"
"No, so far everything is just staying a rumor, but he'll probably show up the next few days."
"Listen, don't make too many arrangements ok."
"Clark, I need to I can't let..."
"Shh, I know, just, hold off for a little while, please, don't do something that you'll regret."
"Ok, I'll wait. But not too long, ok?"
"Just tell me when you think you want to." Clark said, lifting Lex up.
Lex wrapped his arms around Clark's neck. "Where are we going?"
"I'm taking you upstairs."
"Am I dreaming?" Lex asked, as Clark laid him under the light covers.
"No."
"Will you stay with me, until I fall asleep?"
"Mhmm." Clark murmured, running a hand along Lex's scalp. Watching Lex's peaceful face, deep asleep again, Clark thought of how well Lex was dealing with this, how strong he was being. And he hoped that he'd be able to help him when he finally broke.
*
"Clark, did you hack into Lex's medical files?" Chloe asked, stopping Clark in the hallway.
"What? Why are you asking?"
"Because, the trail you left on my computer goes only to the Metropolis hospital website, then it becomes scattered and undecipherable, and I know for a fact that that only comes from hacking. Did you?"
"Yeah, I needed the information and I didn't want to bug Lex."
"Clark, I'm not sure if you know this or not, but hacking into a medical facility and looking at a patients file is a federal offense."
"So, are you doing to turn me in?"
"No."
"Then I don't see the problem."
Chloe paused a second to catch up. "Nothing I guess, I just, I didn't know that Clark Kent was some kind of super hacker."
"Wow, I think I came at a bad time." Pete said, standing by them. "What's this about Clark and hacking?"
"Apparently Clark has been keeping a secret from us. He was on my computer for twenty-seven minutes, and managed to hack into Metropolis General, download files, and then have time to search the web for some doctor."
"Listen, as much as I'm really enjoying this I have to go."
"Where are you going?"
"Nowhere."
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Come one Clark, we're your friends here, would you really lie to us?"
"Yes, yes Pete, I would lie to you. I'd lie and I wouldn't think twice about it. Not anymore, know why? Because it just isn't important to me now. It's petty, dumb, a waste of time and there are just so many more important things that I have to do. Things that I could tell you about, but I just don't want to. So, yes, ask me and I will lie to you, I don't want you to know what I'm doing. You're my friends, I trust you and all that, but there are just more important things."
*
Clark had a long conversation with his parents, one in which he promised to never run away again, even though he hadn't been running away in the first place. But all through it he had just been going over the things that he and Dr. Pittston and Dr. Merle had gone over.
"The way human blood works is an intricate and confusing process, and it's hard to actually make it advantageous to the person you're working on."
"In theory, yes. But diseases don't work like that and the new drug is untested and dangerous, I don't even know if I want to make it public, it's too potent. Human DNA just has too many faults to nonchalantly mix them together and see if it will work."
But Clark isn't human; Clark doesn't have human blood.
***
Three weeks later
"Clark, I haven't seen you hanging out with Pete or Chloe lately. Is there something you want to talk about?" Martha asked Clark over dinner.
"Well, I haven't really, we haven't really been able to do things... I've just been very busy lately."
"Too busy to go to school?" Clark looked at his father. "Clark, the school called to see if you were alright, they said you haven't been to the school for two weeks."
"They're supposed to wait fourteen school days." Clark muttered.
"What?"
"I said that I've just had a lot to do."
"Clark, this is your senior year, you can't just stop going to school." Martha said.
"Listen, I'm sorry, I've just been doing a lot..."
"Pete's mom said that she saw you leaving the caves last night."
"Clark, what is it you've been doing?"
"I'll tell you what he's been doing. He's been throwing his future in the gutter trying to help that Luthor boy. You're not going to be able to do anything Clark; you're just going to make things worse. For gods' sake, you're just a kid!"
"You don't know that. You don't know that I won't be able to help."
"That Luthor boy doesn't have a chance,"
"Lex, Dad, his name is Lex. And I'm not going to stop trying to help him just because you have a petty grudge against him because you don't like his father. You know what Dad, he doesn't like his father either, there you have something in common." Clark yelled at his father.
Jonathan got up from the table; Martha looked helplessly from one to the other. "That's it. I won't have my son talk to me like that in my own house."
"I can not believe you, I just can't. Can't you just think for a second, can't you just realize that there's a possibility that I could be right? Don't you even care that there's a possibility that I can save Lex?"
"This has nothing to do with Lex Clark. This has to do with you, just you. You are my son, which means that by law you have to listen to me, you're a minor-"
"Yes, yes Dad, you're right ok? By law a lonely alien that you happened by during a meteor shower is still a minor and your responsibility. But I'm not going to be a minor for very long. One week and three days actually." Clark stood, towering over his father. "I'm not ungrateful to you for what you've done to me. I appreciate it. I can't let you stop me from doing what I need to do. I don't need for you guys to believe in me anymore, I can't risk failing for that little reason. I don't want this to be the way things end between us, you're my parents, but I will leave now and never come back if that's what I have to do."
"Just like that. You'll leave on a whim, for a Luthor."
"For this Luthor, in a heartbeat."
"Get out, get out of my house until you regain some sense."
Clark smiled. "I'm not the irrational one here."
Then he turned and left the house before Martha even started calling out his name.
Clark found Lex in the kitchen pouring a glass of water.
"Lex," Clark started. Lex jumped, nearly dropped his glass, spun around.
"Clark, oh Clark, you scared me."
"Lex, are you ok?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm alright I've just been a little out of it lately."
Clark took the glass from Lex's hand. "Water thins your blood." He opened Lex's refrigerator. "Here, try this."
"What is it?" Lex asked, taking a drink.
"Milk, orange juice and non-fat non-dairy sugarless ice cream."
Lex raised an eyebrow. "It's good. I hadn't realized that I had that ready-made."
"You didn't, I just made it."
"Do I even want to ask?"
"No time, trust me, if we get into that the discussion will never end."
"Then something else perhaps." Lex said, loading his dishwasher. Clark sat on the counter opposite him. "Hey, you never told me what you were doing at the research facility. So, what were you doing?"
"Just making some very valuable friends."
"To replace me when I'm gone?" Lex had meant for that to come out lightly, instead it just sounded hallow, even to him.
"No one could ever replace you Lex." Clark said quietly. "No one could ever be good enough."
Lex froze, then his shoulders started trembling. He didn't have the time to wonder how Clark managed to catch him as he slid to the floor before the tears started to flow.
"What's the matter Lex?"
"You, you shouldn't do that Clark, you shouldn't... put me on a pedestal," Lex tried to get up. "You'll only get disappointed in the end."
"Hey, where're you going?" Clark asked softly, hugging Lex tightly so there was no chance for him to get away.
"Luthors aren't supposed to cry." Lex said feebly, sniffing.
"Then it must be a good thing that you're just Lex then."
"It must be." Lex managed a smile before his face crumpled once again and he sank down onto Clark's chest.
"Shh, it's ok Lex, I'm here, it's just you and me, shh, cry all you want honey." Clark murmured, rocking Lex back and forth, one hand cradling the back of Lex's head, Lex had a death hold on that arm with both of his. "You wanna tell me what's pushed you over the edge just now?"
"I don't want to leave you Clark." Lex burst out forlornly between sobs. "It's not fair. We're friends, and you're going to be left all alone, you shouldn't have to deal with my, with my death. And I'll miss you so, so, much it already hurts."
"Oh, Lexy my Lexy, I don't want you to worry about this. You don't have to, alright?" He pulled back only far enough so that he and Lex were face to face. He placed both his hands on the sides of Lex's head. "Ok, listen to me, alright. I'm going to find a way to save you, ok? I promise I'm not going to let you die, ok?"
Lex shakes his head feebly in Clark's hands. "Don't make promises Clark."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want you to be disappointed when it doesn't work."
"It'll work Lex, I promise it will."
"I'm not going to hold you to this Clark, there's no way that I can."
"Listen, you know I'm going to do everything that I can to help you, right? You believe that, don't you?"
"Yes, but Clark, you don't have to save me to help me."
"But I'll stop at nothing. Don't think that I'm doing this for you, not for one second. I'm selfish and I want you around, it's as simple as that. You understand me, this isn't about you, it's about me."
Lex smiled. "Sure Clark, sure it is." Lex looked at his watch, frowned. "You should be getting home Clark, your parents are going to be worried." Clark looked away, one of Lex's hands caught his head. "Clark, what is it?"
"Nothing, I just, I was just coming over to tell you not to worry about me. That I was going to be – gone, for awhile, and you were going to hear things, but I'm alright."
"Where were you going?"
Clark offered a lopsided grin. "I hadn't thought of that part yet, I just I didn't want you to worry."
"What happened, why were you going anywhere?"
"My parents and I... we're not getting along well right now, and I'm not very welcome – I don't want to be there anyway so..."
Lex watched him for a second. "Stay here."
"What?"
"Stay here."
"I don't want to..."
"You won't, there's more than enough room, I'm here all alone, and I could use the company. Besides, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't offer to let you stay here." Lex nudged him. "Come one, it'll be fun, I can drive you to school, pick you up, you can make me dinner..."
Clark laughed. "How can I turn down that offer?"
"You can't, that's the point."
***
One week later
Clark walked into Lex's bedroom. Lex was lying down under the covers reading. He didn't have a lot of energy to do much more these days.
"Lex?"
Lex dropped his book, looked up at Clark and laughed. "You're going to have to stop sneaking up on me Clark."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Oh, that's alright. What are you doing, hovering by the door like that, come in, come sit down, this gigantic bed is good for something." Clark sat down lightly on the edge of the bed. "What is it?"
"I-I have a favor that I need to ask you, and I don't know how you're going to take it, and I'm not sure if it's in my place but..."
"Clark, everything is in your place. What do you need?"
"Well, there are some... things that I'm doing, that need to be done in a controlled environment. And it would just be so much easier if I could do them here, and if you needed me I wouldn't be far, and it would be legal, I wouldn't have to break in to a hospital or anything..."
"Clark, you're rambling, and as much as I love it I'm failing to see a point here."
"I was wondering if you would let me use your secret room. It's the only one that has the right amount of ventilation and humidity, and I know that it's safe so – if something went wrong..."
"What secret room?"
"The one downstairs. With you're car, and that picture of me and all the files-"
Lex worked his mouth a few times. "How – how do you know about that?"
"It doesn't matter how I know, just that I know."
"Clark, let me explain,"
"No, that's alright Lex, besides it would be hypocritical for me to ask you. Just, could I please use it?"
"You can use whatever you want Clark." Lex said slowly, looking him right in the eye.
Clark smiled and hugged him. He picked up the fallen book. "What are you reading?"
"Cheap science fiction."
"What's it about?"
"Aliens. What else could it be about?"
"A rampant virus evolving at an alarming rate that will surly kill humanity."
Lex flinched. "That hits a little too close to home."
Clark ruffled his hand on Lex's bald head, he smiled a little. "You'd be surprised at everything that hits close to home."
"Speaking of home," Lex said, grabbing Clarks hand off his head. "Have you talked to your parents yet?"
Clark wanted to look away, but stopped himself just in time. "No, no I haven't, besides they have nothing to do with home. The farm isn't my home."
"Do I want to ask what is?" Lex asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You could, but I wouldn't have an answer." He grinned. "Now, I do believe that it is time for someone's nap."
Lex slid down on the bed, resting his head on the mound of cushy pillows. "It's seems like all I do is sleep these days. I'm getting so tired of being tired."
Clark laughed softly, tucking Lex in. "Don't worry. One day, one day we'll run all the way to New York, and we'll eat greasy pizza. Then we'll fly to Turkey, and see the springs where the Greeks used to bathe."
Lex sighed. "I wish I could believe that. Sounds like a dream."
"You don't need to believe it, just believe me. Dream about the world Lex, dream about everything that you haven't seen, that you've never done, dream and remember, and one day we'll do it." Clark whispered, his voice lulling Lex to sleep. He watched his friend smile, and he was determined to end his pain as soon as he could.
*
Clark stared from one sanitizer to the other, wondering which kind would work best for a teenager from Krypton. But Clark didn't really need a sanitizer anyway. He sighed, moving on to the next isle.
"Clark?"
He turned around and came face to face with none other than the annoying Lana Lang. He sighed, turning back to the meaningless products on the shelf. "Hi Lana."
"I heard about what happened at your house Clark, I'm so sorry."
"What happened?" Clark asked detachedly, walking the opposite direction slowly.
"I just – people are saying that your parents – that you were kicked out."
"Do you believe all the rumors you hear?"
"Listen, Clark, if you ever need anywhere to stay, I'd be happy to..."
"I'm staying at Lex's, Lana, trust me, I'm alright."
"Still," she persisted, stepping closer to him and placing her hand on his arm. "If you ever want to get away, my door's open. I know that it can't be a lot of fun, being around Lex Luthor all day. We could have some fun."
Clark looked at Lana. "What are you doing?"
"I'm just offering you something you've always wanted Clark, no strings, come one, take it."
"You think, you think that I want to fuck you. Lana, you've got to be kidding." Clark said, pulling away disgustedly. "And let me tell you something Miss Lang. I have a thousand times more fun simply watching Lex sleep than I could ever have doing anything with you. God, just, just get away from me."
Lana stood and just stared at him for a second. "Go to hell, dirty fag."
Clark rolled his eyes. "Oh shut up you dumb slut." Clark called as he left the store.
Clark plowed through his bags of groceries, stuffing the cupboards. Lex slowly tottered in, one hand on the wall.
"Are you alright Clark?"
"I had to go to Metropolis to get the things you wanted. God, sometimes I really hate Smallville."
"Oh, it's not that bad. Besides, I'm sure that you're not about to burst because you couldn't find my things down the street, you want to tell me what happened?"
"Lana fucking Lang hit on me in the store, and when I turned her down she called me a dirty fag. Can you believe that?"
"Why did you turn her down?"
Clark dropped his eyes. "You know why." He whispered. Clark cleared his throat before Lex could respond. "I really have to get busy now though. If you need anything, call me."
Lex smiled. "Sure thing."
*
"Add half of the dose into the middle mixture, but not too much, otherwise it'll be ruined. Ok, ok, that looks like it's about the right color, let's see how the plant takes it. Ok, ok, it's adapted the same color, let's see what's happening inside. The dead cells are being regenerated, good, good. Ok, just a drop, just a little..."
The leaf closed in on itself, perfectly intact and healthy. Clark looked through the cell wall at the plasma membrane, comparing it to one of the untampered leaves. It was completely different, but all structures and functions were still the same. Clark tore a hole in the leaf, the leaf put itself back together. He tore it in half, the rip remained unchanged until he held them to each other. They re-gripped, and the leaf was hole.
"Oh my god, this could work." He looked over all his experiments, all the ones that hadn't worked. "I've found the right combination."
He smiled, just as fear started a little knot in his stomach.
*
Lex was worried. He had barely seen any of Clark in the last few days, which was difficult to adjust to since most of his waking moments had consisted mainly of Clark. And now he could hear Clark walking down the hallway, slower than usual. He doesn't get enough sleep, Lex reminded himself. When it became obvious that Clark was planning on coming into Lex's room, Lex sat up, turned on a light.
"Clark?"
"Lex," Clark walked haltingly into the room, making his way slowly to Lex's bed. He sat down heavily, obviously exhausted.
"Clark, what have you been doing?"
"So much Lex, so much." One of Clark's hands landed on Lex's, his eyes were wide and nearly glowing. "Lex, I did it, I found a way to save you."
"Wait you're going to fast, start from the beginning."
Clark closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "A few weeks ago I started studying and translating the markings on the cave wall and discovered that if I used my blood in the right way, I'd somehow have a chance to reverse whatever was started in your body. They said that in the 'mans' body, the way it moved and worked and flowed together, is so advanced and so unique that there is nothing that can compare to it."
"What does that have to do with you, Clark?"
Clark opened his eyes. "I'm the man that they were talking about."
"I don't, I don't even know how to-"
"Shh, wait Lex, just keep listening. Remember those friends of mine from the research facility? Well they were blood experts. They showed me, explained to me this new drug they were trying out, this blood that could combine DNA together. We went over the logistics of your condition, and they said that there was absolutely no way for you to have a chance. That human blood would just never be able to fix what happened to you. But I happen to know where there is a large supply of very unhuman blood.
"So I did some experiments. I stole a sample of your blood from the hospital and photocopied your past medical records. I re-created the situation as best as I could in different breeds of plants with the new drug I was told about. It didn't work out very well. But plants are not the same as humans, so I changed some variables, and tried it out.
"It worked."
Lex looked down at Clark's hand and spoke before Clark could continue. "What happened there, Clark?"
Clark glanced down. There was a little slit on his wrist. "Nothing."
Lex stared at Clark. "What happened?"
"Lex I – I needed to use my blood, and I just didn't have a lot of time..."
"What did you do?"
Clark shut his eyes for a second, took a deep breath. "I slit my wrists, ok? But you don't understand it. My skin regenerates faster than I could cut it. I'm invincible Lex, unless Kryptonite is involved, so I put a stone near me while I drained my blood, because I knew that as soon as I left the room I'd be completely healed."
Lex held up Clark's wrists. "Then why are the cuts still open, Clark?"
Clark bit his lip. "I- I drained a little too much blood, but it will be fine Lex, they aren't even bleeding."
"You – you could have died..."
"And I would have, gladly, if it meant that I could help you."
"And what about me? How do you think I would have felt if you had died?" Lex asked, a tear falling out his eye.
Clark laid his head down on Lex's chest. He breathed in Lex's scent. One of Lex's hands played with his hair. "Oh, my Lexy, it isn't fair. I'm sorry, but I'm alright now, I'll be alright, and I want you to be too." He sat up, looking into Lex's eyes. "I can't ask you to-to do this, Lex. Because it won't be easy. The drug will wreak havoc on you, and your body will want to reject my blood too, so it won't be much more than pain because my blood is stronger than human blood, so yours won't stand a chance." Clark sniffed. "If you decide to do it, it'll take five days, the first two you'll be conscious for, the last three you'll be in a coma-like state, but fully aware."
"Say I agree. Say I agree and we do it, what will happen in the end?"
"That's what scares me – I don't know, Lex, I've got no idea. All I know is that you'll be perfectly healthy. You don't, you don't have to do this you can –we can just... I just wanted to find a way to help you Lex. I only wish that you didn't have to take such short breaths all the time and I wish that you could be happy and whole, and stop loathing yourself because you have weaknesses, and I can see in your eyes that you do. I wish that you didn't have to be scared all the time."
"I wish that too Clark."
Clarks smile faltered. "I'll do whatever you want Lex. If you want me to watch you die for the next month and a half, I will, I'll hold your hand all the way through it. And if you want me to dump your ashes in the river, I'll do it. And nothing would be able to stop me from coming back or remembering you every second of my life. I'd just – rather do that with you here with me."
"Is that it Clark?"
"No Lex, that's not it, that's not even close to being it." Clark leaned his forehead against Lex's.
"And can you promise me, that if I do it, you'll never leave me?"
"Without a second thought." Clark whispered.
"So we'll always be friends?"
Clark smiled, a thousand promises glistening in his eyes. "It's a little late for that Lex."
"What do you mean?"
"I think you already know that."
Lex brushed his lips on Clarks, then a sob racked through his body. Clark kissed the top of his head, they pulled each other into a desperate embrace.
"How can I possibly say no when you're offering me what I've always wanted?" Lex said against Clark's chest. "I'll do it. Not for me, not for you, but for us. I'll do it."
***
Some time in the future
Dr. Pittston sat at his desk, a glass of brandy lying untouched as he called Dr. Merle into his office. When she got there he handed her the letter that he had been staring at for the last hour. Dr. Merle skimmed it, then flipped through photographs she found in the envelope. She handed them to Dr. Pittston, who looked through them as she read the letter aloud.
"Dear Dr. Pittston and Merle, I'm sure you must remember me. That pushy boy who came in here demanding the secret to saving his friend. Well, even though you couldn't give it to me, you enabled me to find it anyway."
Dr. Pittston found a picture of two young men, suspended in the air by nothing but themselves, hands clasped and smiles on their faces, hovering above the pools that were once thought to give life, health, and youth.
"I hope you'll forgive me for stealing those vials of the drug, but I needed to use them, and you yourselves said that they could be of no use to you, because it is too potent. I found a use, a very, very good use. Enclosed are some pictures of what effort your time went into, the other man in the picture is my friend, who was supposed to die more than a year ago. I would like you to have them as a thank you, for nothing that I have would be here if it weren't for your kindness. I hope I will see you again one day, so that I may thank the two of you properly, and my friend would like to meet the people that saved his life.
I'm sure you will be pleased to know, Dr. Pittston, that I have found what I am looking for, and much, much more. Clark and Lex Luethent." Dr. Merle looked up. "Bloody hell."
Dr. Pittston grinned. "The son of a bitch did it."
***
If you were to come across Lex and Clark now, you wouldn't recognize them. Though they look exactly the same as they did twenty years ago, they are different people. They are compliments of the other, nothing more and nothing less. If you were to ask Clark how he could wear a ring with kryptonite on it identical to the one on Lex's finger, or where he got the scars on his wrists from, you'd get nothing but smiles. If you had the courage to ask Lex, what it is he was up to these days now that he repudiated his Luthor heritage, he and Clark would simply laugh as one, and shake their heads.
And if you were to ask them if they are ever going to die, they'd tell you that death doesn't exist, if you love the right person.