AN: Id like to thank my absolutely amazing internet buddy Ponnie (AKA Eternalight on here and PowerOverNothing on Tumblr) for writing this with me! I'm happy with this result and would love to write with you again sometime in the future! :)
This takes place in Season 2 of Smallville, after Lionel regains his sight but before Clark learns his Kryptonian origins.

And I'll be your hope when you feel like it's over
And I will pick you up when your whole world shatters
And when you're finally in my arms
Look up and see love has a face

I am with you
I will carry you through it all
I won't leave you, I will catch you
When you feel like letting go
'Cause you're not, you're not alone

- Not Alone, Red

When Your Whole World Shatters

Lex Luthor wasn't in a very good mood.

He had just spent the day working hard at LexCorp only to find that his father was working against him… again. Only this time, Lionel seemed to have the resources to be able to shut LexCorp down for real. Lex couldn't seem to think of anything he could do to stop this, but was determined. He wouldn't let his father get the upper hand over his company. There was no way Lex was letting his life be controlled by his father once again.

Lex was busy trying to come up with a solution when the devil himself decided to show up in the mansion. The doors to the library/office were flown open and in came Lionel Luthor, a triumphant grin on his face. Lex scowled as he shut his computer and stood up from his chair. He circled around to the front of his desk and leaned against it.

"It's always a joy to have visits from you dad." Lex said sarcastically. "Are you here to brag about how you've practically taken over LexCorp? Sorry to break it to you, but you're not getting my company."

"Is that so? You have little to no options on how you can stop me Lex. However, if you are able to stop this, I might have to admit I'm not giving you enough credit." Lionel mentioned.

"Give me credit or don't. We're two separate companies and don't need to have small talk about how good we are at our jobs." Lex said.

"Don't be absurd Lex; I know you've always wanted approval from me." Lionel said with a smirk.

"Not exactly what I always wanted dad…" Lex muttered.

Lionel sighed, seeming to hear his son's comment. "Either way, I suppose I'll be seeing you soon in Metropolis."

"There's no way I'm going to return to Metropolis. I'm staying in Smallville and that's final." Lex said firmly. He walked over to the table with his alcohol and poured himself a glass. He immediately took a long sip.

Lionel took a couple steps towards his son and looked at him seriously, "You think you've created a life here. That you can craft your own future away from me, with this ragtag company of friends that you've complied. But we both know the truth, son. We both know what will happen eventually, as it always does. You're a Luthor, Lex. These people don't care about you. This town doesn't care about you. All they see is the name, and that's all they ever will."

"You're dead wrong about that, Dad. Smallville may not have been everything you wanted from my life, but there are good people here, they don't just see—" Lex started. He was already done a glass of his drink. He couldn't help but keep sucking it back when his father was speaking. He filled up another glass when his father cut him off.

"Ah, of course. The farm boy. Clark, was it? Yes, the son of Jonathan and Martha Kent. You honestly believe that he is any different? That just because he doesn't care for your fancy gifts or your opportunities, that this makes him special? That somehow he genuinely cares about you? You've fallen prey to his clever ruse son. Your friendship with this boy has clouded your judgement." Lionel tried to explain.

Lex, not knowing what to say next settled with, "Shut up…"

But of course Lionel continued, "What makes him so different from the others? From all those friends you struggled to keep in Metropolis? What could you possibly — oh, yes. Yes, now I see. You're searching for redemption. That you can possibly fix everything that you have broken over the years with this boy."

"Get out." Lex finally demanded. He was done with dealing with his father for the day. He had taken several more long sips of his drink since he had refilled his glass. He was practically done his second glass.

But Lionel kept speaking, "If you honestly believe that you can find a brother in the farm boy, somehow hope to find a pitiful replacement to Julian after everything that happened all those years ago, to actually believe that he could ever see you as something even close enough to family —"

That was it. That was the final straw. Lionel had completely crossed the line now…

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Lex screamed. Refilling his drink which was empty once again.

Lionel now had an arrogant grin on his face. He seemed satisfied to have gotten this anger out of his son, "You know everything you touch ends up getting destroyed in the end Lex. Sooner or later, you friend Clark Kent will realize this and you'll be all alone here. Then you'll know who your true family is and come running back to me. I'll be waiting Lex."

With that Lionel turned away from Lex and exited the room. After a few moments, Lex started to shake his head in frustration. He took another sip of his drink; then another. He couldn't sit down or concentrate on anything at that moment. He just kept drinking… Lex's glass was emptied quickly, but he just refilled it like he had twice already. He kept refilling it for a long time, not that he was paying attention to how long it was exactly.

Maybe he'd get so drunk he wouldn't remember his father's words and the complications in his life. Or maybe this would just make everything more painful…

-SMALLVILLE—

Clark Kent was in a pretty good mood.

He had just eaten a really wonderful late dinner. His mother had made his favourite foods and Clark was even excited for the leftovers tomorrow. It was already dark outside, so he decided it would be a good time to look at the stars from his telescope. Whenever Clark looked at stars, his mind wandered to the fact he was once from a planet far away. Maybe his planet could even be seen from Earth…

Clark had just opened the door to go outside when the phone started to ring. He found this a little strange as we wandered who would be calling at this time. Assuming it was very important, Clark headed over to the phone. It would be useful to have caller ID to know who it was, but the Kents' didn't have it, and that was that. Clark picked up the phone after its third time ringing.

"Hello?" Clark said into the phone.

"…Hey there, Clark." answered the person on the other line. It was Lex. Why was he calling at this time? "What a surprise. Didn't—didn't even think you'd pick up the phone. But I suppose that I should've learned by now that Clark Kent is always full of surprises, isn't that right, buddy?"

By the sound of Lex's voice, Clark started to grow a bit concerned. "What, Lex? What's going on? Are you all right? You sound a little—"

"What? Oh…no, no need to worry about me. No, I'm completely and one hundred percent a-okay. Yeah, perfectly fine, just as always!" Lex assured him.

Unfortunately he wasn't convincing Clark, "….Right. Well, you don't sound 'perfectly fine'."

"Dammit, Kent! Always looking for a reason to argue with me about the most trivial of things! I just said that I'm fine! And when I say that I'm fine, I'm fine! Don't you dare accuse me of anything, Clark! You're in no position at all!" Lex yelled.

Clark sighed. "Lex, did you just call to yell at me, because I really don't think—"

"Oh…oh right." Lex interrupted. "Yes, of course. I did call you. I'm sorry, Clark. I didn't mean to yell. I just wanted to — I think I just wanted to call you to possibly clear the silence at the mansion. It's too quiet…and incredibly lonely sometimes. I just wanted some company from my good friend, but — you know — now that I think about it, I'm sure that I'm just wasting my time. As Clark Kent probably has better things to do than listen to me. Yes, better things to do and people he cares far more about than a stuck up billionaire bastard."

"…Lex, what are you —"

"I don't even know why I bothered calling in the first place." Lex admitted, sounding like he was ending the conversation.

"Lex, wait! Wait, don't hang up!" Clark shouted frantically into the phone. "Look, I'll be over in a minute, all right? Just stay there, okay? Just wait for me, and don't do anything until I get there!"

"With how little you care, now you have the nerve to think me a child, Clark? That I'm possibly going to do something ignorant while I wait for you to come to my rescue?" Lex questioned.

"No, that's —" Clark groaned. "Just please wait for me."

"…Sure, Kent, sure." Lex agreed, and then hung up.

Clark sighed; he would have to look at the stars later. For now he had a friend to check up on.

-SMALLVILLE-

Clark opened the doors to the library of Lex's mansion. Suspicions he'd had were confirmed when he saw Lex leaning over his alcohol table drinking from a glass. It seemed that Lex was very drunk and Clark was left to pick up the pieces. The farmboy closed the doors behind him and took a couple steps towards his friend.

Lex looked up as if just noticing him. "Wow, look at you, Clark. Here already. That was…well, that was rather sudden. When did I call you again?"

"…I, uh…well, I came as fast as I could —" Clark said, trying to cover up his quick arrival.

"Of course. But to me it seems as though you came faster than humanly possible, if my memory holds. But that's all right, as it all adds to the ever intriguing mystery that is Clark Kent. That is, unless I'm wrong and I did call you a while ago. It's all a bit of a blur in any case. Ha, oh well!" Lex explained. He shrugged and started to pour himself more to drink.

"Wha—I—Lex, wait a second!" Clark called frantically. "What are you doing? You know that having more of that…well, it probably isn't that great of an idea right now. Honestly, how much have you drank tonight?"

"Hm, not sure. Lost count a few hours ago. So really, what's one more? Or perhaps even a few more at this point?" Lex questioned, lifting the glass up to sip.

"Lex, stop it! Give me that!" Clark said, making his way over to his friend. Clark snatched the glass out of Lex's hand to stop him from making himself more drunk than he already was.

"What do you think you're doing, Clark?!" The billionaire exclaimed.

"Stopping you from winding up in the hospital, that's what!" Clark shouted. He didn't know how much someone had to drink to get alcohol poisoning or make themselves extremely sick, but he figured Lex was dangerously close.

"So? What does it matter if I do!? Why do you care how much I drink anyway?!" Lex yelled.

"Because I'm your friend, Lex!" Clark responded loudly. "And you know, as well as I do, that this isn't a good idea! At all! And if you can't realize that, if you can't keep your own head on straight after all these drinks, then I suppose I'll just have to do it for you! Now, that's enough, okay?! Come over here and sit down!"

Clark gripped Lex's arm gently and tried to lead him over to the couch.

Lex jerked away from him and laughed bitterly, "My friend! My friend! Of course, you say that now! You say it when you know I need to hear it, but does any of it hold any form of the truth? Ask yourself, Clark. Has there ever been a moment in the years we've known one another that you have ever looked past my name and truly cared for what was underneath?"

"Lex, what —?" Clark started.

"No! You listen to me!" Lex interrupted. "For all I know, after all this time, all that could have been between us was nothing more than a clever facade! One that I possibly fell for from the very beginning! I mean, really, Clark…it's no surprise that we don't always see eye to eye. That you don't trust me with your secrets, or the most personal things in your life…no, of course not. Because why would a Luthor ever matter enough to someone like you? How could he ever be trusted? Clark, I thought that we were friends."

"Lex, we are!" Clark exclaimed.

"…Then aren't friends supposed to trust each other?" Lex questioned. "Of course, it's not like I would be an expert on the subject. I've never had a true friend, and at this point I don't think there's any hope that I ever will."

"Lex, what on earth are you talking about?! I am your friend! I've been your friend from the moment we first met! Since day one, and I have never done anything that should ever make you think otherwise!" Clark exclaimed. "Please, Lex. Why are you accusing me of things I've never done?"

"…I…I'm sorry, Clark." Lex apologized, sounding guilty and sad now. "But I just, I don't…I don't know what to think right now. About anything. I just really —"

"Lex, be honest with me, please. Why are you so upset? I know you, better than anyone, and I know that you wouldn't just run to the bottle and get drunk. You don't give into weakness that easily; you never have. So…what did this? What happened?" Clark asked softly.

There was a moment of silence. After avoiding eye contact and speaking for a minute, Lex sighed and looked back up at his friend.

"All right, Clark. All right, you win. Since you obviously have no intentions of letting this situation go without an explanation…I guess I have no choice but to give you one."

"Good; now come sit down before you fall over and hurt yourself."

"Concerned I can't handle myself again, are you Kent? I'd like to inform you once again that I can take care of myself perfectly well and I'm fine standing here."

"Lex, I know you can handle yourself, but right now you're just a little… unstable. Please just come and sit down…"

"…Fine."

The two of them walked over by the couch next to the fireplace. Clark was watching Lex carefully to make sure he didn't topple over and was prepared to catch his friend if he did so. Instead of sitting on the couch, the two of them sat against it. The fire in front of them radiated them with warmth and a feeling of comfort.

"It's a long story really…" Lex admitted.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere, Lex. You know that." Clark reminded his friend, giving him a small smile. "No matter how long a story, I'll be here to listen to every word."

There was a long silence. Lex looked down at his hands quietly as if unsure how he was going to begin. Clark was curious and wanted an explanation, but was very patient with his friend. He wore a comforting smile the couple times Lex momentarily looked up from his hands. Eventually Lex found the words to begin.

"Well, it really started with my father. He came here earlier, to, unsurprisingly gloat about how he managed to gain the upper hand over LexCorp once again, and is trying everything he can to shut it down against my will. Any other time it wouldn't bother me so much, I would shrug it off with a clever retort and go about my business as he fumes … but somehow, he's now in a position to make all of this become reality. And because of that, I listened. I probably shouldn't have, but I was already so pissed learning about his plans that I couldn't take control of my senses long enough to walk away. He told me…that I should come back to Metropolis." He started to do an impression of his father. "'It's a simple enough plan, Lex! Merge your little plant with LuthorCorp, and in doing so you will spare yourself the endless bad publicity of being brought down by your own father!'" Around that time…yeah, I think it was then that I started to reach for the bottle. Couldn't help myself, really."

"So, it was your Dad?" Clark asked. "Him visiting and trying to bring you back to Luthorcorp was enough to make you drink so much? I…I guess I understand that, in some way, but didn't he try to do that before? And didn't you shut him down—"

Lex glared at Clark. "You didn't let me finish! If I recall, you're the one who wanted the full story, Kent. So I suggest you sit there quietly as I explain before you jump to making accusations about me."

"I…uh, I'm sorry, Lex. I didn't — Of course, I wanted the full story. Please, keep going."

"Right, now that that's settled. Ngh, where was I again?"

"Your father came to try and make you understand that merging with Luthorcorp was a better fate than —"

Lex snapped his fingers. "Ah, yes! Yeah, then my father decided to play dirty once he realized that I stood firmly against his ideals."

"What did he do?" Clark asked.

"Oh, the usual, of course. He went on to tell me how no one in Smallville truly cares about me. Can't see past the Luthor name and who I really am inside, and I just have my head in the clouds. I snapped back, telling him that he was wrong — and if he'd have let me give it, I had some pretty solid evidence — but even that didn't help matters much. He told me that I've simply fallen victim to your clever ruse — yeah, you were used you in this argument buddy, hope you don't mind — and even you don't care about me. Not really. But I was too much of a fool to see that, since being friends with you have clouded my judgement to reality. And, Clark? Maybe…maybe he was right."

"Lex, you know he's not…"

Lex gave a small bitter laugh. "Heh, yeah, well…I don't know what happened but somehow it got worse. My father told me that I was simply looking for redemption in you…in our friendship…and how no matter what I try and find, there's no possible way I could ever fix everything that I have broken over the years. That you couldn't fix that for me. And then…ugh, dammit, Dad…"

Lex had been silent a few moments and there was a very pained look on his face. Clark put his hand on his friend's shoulder and softly spoke, "And then what, Lex?"

"He, ah, he told me…that he knew what I was doing. That he fully understood what I was hoping to gain from your friendship. That you…that you were, nothing more than a pitiful replacement for the brother I never ended up having with Julian and…that —" He took a deep breath. "Basically, that I'm not at all thinking straight if I could ever possibly think, even for one moment, that you would ever consider me anything even remotely close to the term family. It's not that…that was what stung most. I mean, it did, of course. I just wish that he wouldn't have…" His voice trailed off and he stared at the fire.

Clark tightened the grip on Lex's shoulders comfortingly. "That he wouldn't have what, Lex?"

Lex spoke very quietly now. "I wish he wouldn't have used you and Julian in the same argument. I wish he wouldn't have called you a pitiful replacement for Julian, and more than anything, I wish to God above that you hadn't have been brought up because if I had known… Yeah, I think that this was pretty much what pushed me over the edge. It made me continue to drink even after he had left… But even after the whole Julian thing the bastard didn't stop! No, not once! He wanted to make sure that his words bled, and dammit if they didn't do what he wanted… Because afterwards, he told me that soon, very soon, you'll realize that everything I touch, everything good in my life, everything that even brought me happiness gets destroyed. Ruined. And in the end, I'll be all alone and isolated in this town. Then, only then, would I come running back to him. To my 'True family' he told me, with that blasted arrogant grin on his face the entire time. Heh, true family. Yeah, one hell of a family the Luthor's are. If my only options are going back to him or being alone. I…I think…I think I would rather choose being alone."

"Lex, you shouldn't even worry about that; any of it really. I honestly can't see you running back to your father anytime soon; even after all of this." Clark assured his friend. "No, you'll hold your ground, just like you always do, and you'll get this whole LexCorp thing under control in no time —"

Lex suddenly stood up, and faced Clark. He was emotional and angry now, "God, Clark that isn't the problem here! Don't you get it?! It has nothing to do with my company! It's the fact of what I just told you! What I just let fall from my lips! It's that, given the choice, I would willingly accept being alone for the rest of my life than go back with him! And not only that… Considering my track record for these things? It's the fact that there is a very high chance that it could happen! All over again! That sooner or later, I'm going to end up all alone!"

Clark stood up beside his friend. "Lex, no, you're not —"

Lex reached over and grasped Clark's hands. His face looked desperate. "Please, Clark! If this friendship has ever meant anything to you, anything at all, even for a half of a second…please, don't walk away from me. I know, I know it's a lot to ask, considering who I am, what my family is like, but please…don't leave me. They…they all leave me. In the end, whether it's by choice or not, the fact remains that I always end up alone! I've lost everyone I've ever cared about in my life, and I don't…I can't bear the thought of losing you too. Not you, Clark. Not the only true friend I've ever had…I don't want to be alone again…I don't want to get trapped in the darkness with it suffocating me and being unable to see a light at the end. You're the…you're the only one who's ever made that bearable. The only one in many, many years whose helped me see even a glimpse of lingering light. I don't…I don't know what my life would be without your friendship in it anymore Clark, and I don't want to go back to a time without it to find the answer! Please, don't let me end up all alone again…"

Clark was completely taken aback and could barely form words, "Lex, I…I don't…"

In his drunken state, Lex started to sob. "Buddy…please…"

Clark felt heartbroken as he stared at the tears rolling down his best friend's face. As Lex Luthor, who never showed any sign of weakness, literally begged Clark to stay with him. Clark knew he had to comfort Lex and get him out of this state. Leaving him like this would be completely unacceptable.

"Hey, listen to me, all right? Shhh, look at me." Clark said, Lex sobbed for a moment longer before stopping and focusing his bloodshot eyes on Clark. "First of all, try and calm down. There's nothing in the world that you should be getting this upset over, especially simple 'what if's' of a situation. Stay strong for me, okay, Lex? Secondly…" Clark leaned over and wrapped Lex into a hug to which his friend returned almost immediately. "You're not going to be alone, Lex, and you're not alone. I'm here, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. I just…consider this — all of this, just payback, all right?"

"What are you —" Lex started.

Clark smiled softly as he pulled back from the hug. "Lex, for as long as we've known each other…you've always been a strength of mine. The person that I could turn to, whenever the world started to crash all around me, and I would know that—no matter how big or little the issue—you'd always go out of your way to do everything you possibly could to make sure that I was okay. Well, it's my turn to be that for you, all right? I'm your brother, Lex. Not a replacement, and maybe not by blood, but I'm still your brother, and I care about you. I care about you, a whole lot, and not because you're a Luthor, but because you're my friend. My best friend and a wonderful person despite what everyone else might say. No one could make me leave you Lex. And even if they tried, they would have to drag me, kicking and screaming and saying all sorts of things that my parents would not approve of, to the very ends of the Earth. I promise you… I'll always be here whenever you need me. You're not alone, Lex."

Lex wiped away his tears and seemed to come out of his drunken state a bit. "I don't…I don't know what to say, Clark. Words seem so small, and a simple thank you seems so… inappropriate, but… thank you. Thank you, for being my best friend. I don't…I honestly don't know what I could ever do to repay you for this…"

"It isn't needed, Lex. Your friendship is more than enough." Clark assured him.

"Heh, you are by far the dorkiest guy I've ever met, Kent." Lex admitted, smiling. "But…even so, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Well, don't think about that, all right? Because you do have me, and I'm right here, and that's really all that matters." Clark said, feeling triumph for getting Lex out of his sobbing state. The smile on Lex's face had made him more relieved than he'd ever admit.

The two of them sat back down, on the couch this time. They didn't say anything for a long time, but they didn't have to…

-SMALLVILLE-

When Lex awoke the next morning, he felt like complete and utter crap. The slightest movement brought the taste of vomit to his throat which took a lot to shove back down. His head was aching worse than it ever had, the pain making it hard to think straight. He would find some pills to help soothe this, but didn't want to try standing up yet.

Instead, Lex slowly opened his eyes. They stung terribly from the sunlight shining into the room and started to water a bit. Once he had view of the room, he tried to put together his memory. Surprisingly after a couple minutes, he remembered what had happened quite well. The argument with his father, the drinks he had taken and Clark…

Lex took in his senses enough now to feel that someone was leaning against him. Not just anyone of course, but Clark. Clark's head was touching Lex's and the boy was still sleeping very peacefully.

Lex felt a little guilty because the couch wasn't very comfortable, but the guilt was mostly pushed down due to other feelings. Lex was relieved, happy and honored at the revelation Clark was still here. That Clark had stayed with him all night because Lex in his drunken state needed the farmboy around.

Most of all, Lex felt lucky; lucky that he had Clark Kent as a brother.