Just to See You Smile

Disclaimer:
I own nothing but the ideas expressed in this fic (and Cadet Captain Jaci Zellar, and Cadet Private Ariel Clay)...Nor am I in any way affiliated with Smallville or Tim McGraw...

Rating:
K+

Genre:
Angst/Romance

Pairing:
Clex

Song Used:
"Just to See You Smile"-Tim McGraw

Summary:
Clark realizes what a mistake he made leaving Lex when Lex comes walking up to him with a new flame...But is this new flame for real?...Or is she just a test of Clark's true feelings?...Read on, y'all...Will dance for reviews...Also, just so y'all know, I'm changing the plot of Smallville ever so slightly in that I'm making Clark a JROTC Cadet...

Clark sat in his loft, putting the final touches to his formal uniform. Class A's. Tonight was the big night. The Military Ball. Clark had invited Lex as his date months ago but things had gone sour between them a few weeks ago. Clark had ended up leaving Lex after a heated argument when he'd told Lex about all of the secrets he'd been hiding. Though, eventually, they'd mended their relationship to that of a friendship and they'd decided to still go to the Mil Ball together, but just as friends. However, Clark was now beginning to seriously regret his decision to leave Lex. Just the other day, he'd met Lex's date for the Mil Ball. She was one of Clark's fellow cadets, Cadet Captain Jaci Zellar. He was happy for Lex-or so he'd told him. Jaci was a nice girl. She seemed to be treating Lex well and Lex seemed genuinely happy with her.

Though, Clark noticed it getting harder and harder to ignore the pangs of jealousy that ate at him relentlessly whenever he saw the two of them laughing and chatting together. Once, Clark had even seen Jaci actually kiss Lex. It had only been a quick peck on the lips yet it still killed Clark knowing that Lex was over him and had moved on. Looking down at his watch Clark decided to get going for the Mil Ball seeing as he wasn't planning on using his abilities to get there. Grabbing his garrison cap off his dresser, Clark told his parents goodbye and climbed inside the driver's seat of his truck. He'd already arranged to meet Lex and Jaci at the Ball.

Taking off down the old dirt road, Clark began thinking about how much he just wished that this whole evening would end so he would have to see as little of Jaci holding Lex and doing all the things he used to do with Lex as possible. In fact, the only thing that kept him from backing out was his company commander all but dragging the entire company there. As a matter of fact, he could still hear her words ringing throughout his brain. You guys have to go...We don't know who made Honor Company...And it might be us so...Be there!...Or else!...Clark chuckled at the almost nervous authority in her voice.

Finally, Clark found himself pulling into McConnell Air Force Base-the site of the Military Ball-and, showing his ID to the security guards at the gate, he found a place to park and made his way inside. The LET 4s really did a great job decorating...Clark thought to himself as he looked around. Streamers and balloons and even Chinese Lanterns decked out the military base. Though, his amazement was short lived as his eyes landed on the one sight he was praying to whatever deity might be listening that he wouldn't see. Jaci was leading Lex out to the dance floor. Of course, the first song just had to be a slow dance. Clark watched, painfully, as Jaci wrapped her arms around Lex's neck and he draped his own hands on the small of her back. Clark was struggling to fight back the urge to kick the crap out of Jaci. But, from what he could tell, Lex was happy, and deep down, Clark knew that was all that really mattered.

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'll never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

Looking up into the piercing blue eyes of her "date", Jaci noticed Lex staring off at something. Someone was more like it. She didn't have to follow his gaze to figure out what had captured his attention. Smirking, she asked "I guess asking if you'd realized the dance has changed to a fast dance would be a stupid question?..." Jaci's voice finally snapped Lex out of his Clark-induced hypnosis. "What?...Oh, right..." Chuckling softly to herself, Jaci asked "You really miss him, don't you?" Looking down into this "date's" softer brown eyes, Lex confessed "Yeah...I do..." Acting as if the answer were plain as day, Jaci replied "Well...Then, why don't you just go talk to him...Tell 'im how ya feel..."

Knowing that she was probably right, Lex sighed as he explained "Jaci, it was Clark's idea to just be friends...I'd rather have him in my life as a friend than to not have him in my life at all...Besides, Clark seems to be happy with just being friends and as long as I know he's happy, I'll be okay...Eventually..." Sighing, Jaci just continued to dance with Lex as she continued to wonder how to get him to talk to Clark.

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'll never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

After another dance, it had come time for the dinner portion of the evening. Thanks to the seating arrangement written by the LET 4s, Lex and Clark ended up right across from each other. They'd made light small talk off and on during the meal but there were a few awkward lulls in the conversation in which their friends would pick it up until they rejoined the chitchat. After dinner were the awards. Clark couldn't help but notice Lex's proud beaming expression when Alpha Company-Clark's company-took Honor Company. Clark had been the cadet from Alpha Company chosen to receive the award on his company commander's behalf. He found it rather ironic that she'd been so insistent on the entire company's attendance and then, right at the last minute, 'something suddenly came up'. After accepting the award, Clark handed it off to the proper authority figure and rejoined Lex and his other friends at the dinner table.

Sitting back down at his seat, Clark was slightly startled by Lex's smooth voice. "Congratulations, Clark." He stated, smiling subtly. Also smiling, Clark replied "Thanks, Lex." God that smile still kills me every damn time...Lex thought, as the normal light chatter resumed all around the two of them. Clark's thoughts had simultaneously mirrored Lex's. They'd been so wrapped up in their own thoughts, they'd been oblivious to Jaci conspiring with the others to get them alone. Eventually, they'd snapped out of their hypnosis and had finished dinner. After dinner, they rejoined their group out on the dance floor.

Seeing Clark alone on the dance floor, one of his friends and fellow cadets from his company, Cadet Private Ariel Clay, made her way toward him and looked up into his big green eyes and asked "Care to dance, Clark?" Looking from her to Jaci and Lex, Clark thought it might help him take his mind off things and hell, if nothing else, maybe he would succeed in giving Lex a taste of the jealousy he'd been suffering all night. Smiling down at the smaller cadet, Clark replied "Sure..." Smiling, Ariel draped her arms around Clark's neck as he draped his own around the small of her back.

It was then that song turned to a slow dance. Looking up into Lex's piercing blue eyes, Jaci asked "You wanna sit this one out?" She understood his position. Nodding, Lex sighed slightly "Yeah...Don't take it personally, it's just...It wouldn't be the same not dancing with Clark..." Nodding, Jaci just followed him back over to their table as she replied "It's cool, Lex...I understand..." Smiling half-heartedly, Lex replied "Thanks, Jaci..." Smiling whole-heartedly, Jaci replied "Don't mention it Lex..." Looking out on the dance floor, Jaci noticed another of her fellow cadets. "...Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go ask Derrick to dance..." Half-smirking, Lex replied "Go ahead...It's your night...Have fun..."

You always had an eye for things that glittered
But I was far from bein' made of gold
I don't know how that I scraped up the money
I just never could quite tell you no
Just like when you were leavin' Amarillo
To take that new job in Tennessee
And I quit mine so we could be together
I can't forget the way you looked at me

By now, Lex's gaze had drifted over to the dance floor-specifically, where Clark and Ariel had been dancing. Immediately, Lex felt his heart sink to an all new low. Well, it's official...Clark's happier without me...Well...Far be it from to come between that...Lex thought to himself sadly. What he saw gave him mixed emotions. On the one hand, he was glad to see that Clark was happy. After all, that was all that Lex had ever really wanted. Even if he, himself, couldn't provide it. Yet, on the other hand, he couldn't help but hate knowing that Clark had moved on. He'd wanted it to always him and Clark-together, forever. Lex wanted to be the one that Clark held at night, to be the one to taste Clark's sweet innocent kisses, hell-to be the one Clark loved. Now, he knew that that would never happen.

Looking up into Clark's startling green eyes, Ariel asked "You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Shrugging, Clark replied "It's kinda hard not to..." Understanding where Clark was coming from, Ariel simply replied "You loved him, Clark...That's not gonna just go away over night..." Knowing she was right, Clark replied "I still do love him..." Acting as if the answer were plain as day, Ariel asked "Have you tried telling him that?" Clark just snorted softly as he replied "Ha...Yeah, right...He's happier without me, now...I saw him with Jaci earlier...He seemed really happy with her..." Sighing, Ariel replied "Clark, you of all people should know that looks can be deceiving..."

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'll never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

Finally, Lex had had enough. He had to find out for himself, for a fact, if Clark really was as happy without him as he appeared to be. Rising from the table he'd been seated at, Lex made his way over to where Clark and Ariel were dancing. Upon reaching the seemingly happy couple, Lex feigned a smile as he asked politely "Mind if I cut in?"

Though he didn't know why, Clark saw that the question was directed at Ariel rather than himself. Smiling, Ariel thought to herself It's about damn time one of them did something...I was beginning to wonder if I was gonna have to do it myself...as she replied "You bet...He's yours..." Smiling, Lex thought to himself I wish...

Meanwhile, Clark willed away the chills creeping all up and down his spine as Lex rested one hand on his waist and took Clark's hand with the other. However, he couldn't stop the smile from playing across his face. Seeing Clark's genuine smile also brought a smile to Lex's face. For the first time that evening, Lex had been able to truly smile and he knew that right here, in this moment, was right where he belonged.

When you said time was all you really needed
I walked away and let you have your space
Cuz leavin' didn't hurt me near as badly
As the tears I saw rollin' down your face
And yesterday I knew just what you wanted
When you came walkin' up to me with him
So I told you that I was happy for you
And given the chance I'd lie again

Lex and Clark found themselves getting lost in each other's touch and in the music. Neither of them wanted the night to end and felt as though it wouldn't. Not as long as they stayed exactly as they were right now. For the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, they'd both found true, pure, happiness. Like they knew where they truly belonged. And everything was right once more.

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
And all is said and done
I'd never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
And all is said and done
I'd never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

Once the music finally slowed and came to a complete stop, Lex and Clark pulled away from the embrace as both looked away-feeling as though what had just happened, should never have happened. Finally, Lex had had all he could take of the silence stretching between them as the others all around them went on about their business as though nothing had happened. "Clark, I wanted to talk to you..." Sighing slightly, Clark replied "Same here...Listen, Lex...I can see that you're obviously happy with Jaci now and-I'm glad that you are, but...Well, I just wanted to let you know I was an idiot to have left you...I realize that now but I suppose it's too late now...Good luck with Jaci, Lex...Hopefully she'll treat you a little better than I ever did..."

With that, Clark just turned on his heel in one smooth fluid motion and turned to leave when he heard Lex call out his name. "Clark..." Stopping dead in his tracks, Clark slowly turned around to see Lex coming toward him and standing very close to him. "Clark...Listen, there's somethin' I gotta tell ya..." Lex sighed as he added "...I'm not actually happy with Jaci...Yeah, sure, she's a great girl...But, she's not who I wanna be with...You are, Clark...I only came here with her tonight because I thought that the only way to see if you still cared about me was if you saw me with somebody else..." Lex then turned to look at the floor, as if he were ashamed of his actions. Clark just stood there a moment in silence before he replied "Lex...I'll always love you...It just took leaving you to make me realize that..."

When Lex looked up, Clark could see the evident hope written in his icy blue eyes. Slowly, a smile crept across Lex's face as he took Clark into his arms and held him tight, not wanting to let go. "I'm so sorry I said those things to you, Clark..." Lex apologized, though muffled by Clark's jet black locks. Smiling, Clark replied "Lex, it's okay...I kinda expected that...Given what we were talking about..." Finally pulling away from the embrace, Clark added "Lex, I was never angry with you...Hell, I love you too much to be angry with you..." Smiling, Lex simply added "Thanks, Clark..."

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'll never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

Lex and Clark just stared into each other's eyes a moment before Clark slowly pulled Lex into a gentle, passionate kiss. Having missed the tenderness of Clark's kisses, Lex immediately melted into the passion of the kiss, clinging to firm biceps just to keep from falling over. Sensing his love's instable balance, Clark just smirked against Lex's lips as he slid his hands around Lex's waist, holding him up.

Once they finally parted to breathe, Clark offered Lex his hand and smiled as he asked "Care to dance?" Smiling now, himself, Lex replied "I thought you'd never ask..." Taking his love's hand, Lex just let Clark lead him out onto the dance floor.

Meanwhile, from across the dance floor, Ariel and Jaci just smirked in triumph. "'Bout time those two worked things out..." Jaci stated, watching the reunited couple as Ariel simply nodded her silent acquiescence.

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything
That you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'll never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile