The blare of a car horn followed Clark as he sprinted across the busy street. Glancing at his watch, he groaned. He needed to start setting his alarm for earlier. Or he needed to quit hitting snooze quite so many times. For someone who'd grown up on a farm, this was really inexcusable behaviour.

Clutching the paper tray of coffees, and praying he wouldn't spill them, Clark pushed open the door and ran for the elevator. Seeing him coming, Jimmy held the door. "Morning, CK," he said with a grin.

"Morning." Juggling his briefcase and the coffee tray as he ducked inside the elevator, Clark grinned back. "Thanks."

Jimmy shrugged and pressed the button to close the door. "No problem. Bad night?"

"Not really." Clark re-adjusted his grip on the coffees as the floor lurched under his feet. This thing always made him feel a bit nauseous. "Just slept through my alarm."

"Again?" Jimmy laughed and rolled his eyes. "Didn't you grow up on a farm, CK? Waking up at ass o'clock to milk the cows and feed the pigs every morning?"

"Yeah. I did." Clark caught himself hunching his shoulders and forced himself to stand up straight. "Been in the city too long I guess."

Bursting out of the elevator, Clark took off between the desks at a run. Heads popped up like prairie dogs, watching him pass. He dropped his briefcase and the coffees on his desk—careful not to spill anything—before grabbing one of the coffees and ducking into Lex's large corner office.

Setting the paper cup on the desk as he passed, he quickly opened the blinds on all the windows, hardly registering the view of the city. When Lex had first hired him, Clark had stared wide eyed out these wall-length windows, amazed at the view that Lex never seemed to notice. Now, after nearly three years, Clark hardly noticed it himself.

The doorknob turned, and Clark grabbed Lex's coffee and turned toward the door, pasting a welcoming smile on his face as Lex stepped into the office. "You've got a conference call in thirty, a staff meeting at nine, and your immigration lawyer sent some papers for you to sign."

"Thank you, Clark." Lex took the coffee with a tiny smile—just a twitch of the lips that Clark only noticed because he knew him so well. "I'm going to need you to work this weekend if that's okay."

"Of course," Clark replied without hesitation. He loved the work here, and really didn't mind overtime.

Back at his desk at break time, Clark pulled up his calendar and groaned. He had totally forgotten this was Thanksgiving weekend. Picking up the phone, he dialed a number from memory, dreading this conversation.

"Hello?" His mother's familiar voice floated over the phone line, tightening his chest with sudden homesickness.

"Hi, Mom." He swallowed hard and ducked his head, blinking furiously to keep the tears at bay. He hadn't seen his parents in months, but this job was too important to put at risk.

"Clark, honey? How are you?" Joy and love filled her tone at hearing his voice. Then, she paused. "Why are you calling in the middle of the day? Oh no."

"Mom, I'm sorry." He rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "I have to work this weekend."

A shuffling rustling came over the line, then his father's voice came on. "Luthor's making you work on Thanksgiving? But I guess he wouldn't understand Thanksgiving; they don't do that wherever he's from… where is he from again?"

"Canada. They do Thanksgiving in October, so he isn't trying to be a jerk." He took a deep breath. "I promise I'll be there for Christmas."

"Clark…" Jonathan Kent sighed. "I'm worried about you. No one can handle the hours that man makes you work. You could do better, Clark."

"Dad, I've… I've put too much into this job to give up on it now." Glancing at his watch, Clark bit his lip. "I've gotta go, Dad."

"Clark?" Martha's voice was back. "I know being an editor is your dream, but your father's right. You can do that somewhere else."

"Mom." Clark pressed two fingers into his temple. "I can't give up. You know that. It's how you raised me." He glanced up to see Lex heading his way again. "I really have to go. I love you both. See you soon." And he hung up on them.

"They tell you to quit?" Lex leaned against Clark's desk, one eyebrow raised slightly.

"Yeah." Clark let out a gust of breath. "They think you're a slave driver." He smiled to let Lex know he didn't agree.

Lex's lips twitched. But, before he could reply, Clark's desk phone rang. It was reception, announcing the arrival of a Ms Potter for 10:55.

Shaking his head slightly, Lex said, "Send her in. But she's out of here in five minutes. We have work to do."

Leaning back in his chair after Potter entered, Clark watched the clock until five minutes had passed, then leapt to his feet and opened the door. "Mr Luthor, risk management needs you right away."

Lex was leaning on the front of his desk, glaring daggers at Potter. He raised his eyes and stared at Clark like he'd never seen him before. Then, he smiled. "Clark."

Uh oh. There was something about Lex's predatory smile and the tone of his voice that told Clark that he wasn't going to like this.

"Ms Potter," Lex said, his voice smug, "may I introduce my fiancé, Clark Kent?"

What? Clark's eyes widened and he was pretty sure he was doing a decent impression of a gaping fish. But he met Lex's eyes and snapped his mouth shut, doing his best to regain his composure as Potter turned to face him.

"You're marrying your male secretary?" she asked, her voice dripping with disdainful disbelief. She looked Clark up and down, clearly finding him wanting.

"Assistant," Lex corrected, his voice cold.

She glanced back at Lex, half rolling her eyes. "You're marrying your male assistant?"

"We're in love." Lex raised both eyebrows slightly, studying her carefully. "Is it his occupation or his gender that you have a problem with?" His voice was even, yet with a hint of menace.

Potter narrowed her eyes at Lex. "This has nothing to do with my visit today?"

"Of course not." Lex managed to look offended and expressionless at once. "That would be fraud."

Potter swung her gaze back to pin Clark. "You—is this true? Are you marrying this… man?"

Giving her the coldest glare he could muster, Clark replied, "It really does sound like you have a problem with us both being men, Ms Potter." This might be the craziest thing Lex had ever sprung on him, but Clark hadn't been hired for his looks. Thinking on his feet and rolling with the punches was a very important skill in this job.

She sputtered for a few seconds, then set her jaw. "Five years in prison and a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar fine. US dollars."

"What?" Clark glanced at Lex, who shrugged.

"Yes, that's the maximum sentence… if we're lying." Lex pushed himself off of his desk and took a step toward Potter, holding her gaze. "But we're not."

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into?" Potter didn't back down, her shoulders tightening as she glared right back at him.

"Do you?" Lex returned, his eyes dangerous. Clark's heart nearly skipped a beat at that expression, but Potter stood her ground.

She raised her chin, holding Lex's gaze. "We're going to put you in a room and ask you every detail that a real couple would know about each other." Her gaze pierced Clark again. "Do you even know his favourite color?"

Clark didn't hesitate. "Plum."

Both eyebrows climbed toward her hairline. "You mean purple?"

"Nope." Clark allowed himself a small smile. "Plum is smokier than purple."

"Hm." Potter glanced at Lex, who lifted his shoulders just a bit and nodded. Turning back to Clark, she continued, "Childhood pet's name?"

"Lex never had a pet as a child." Clark met Lex's eyes. "His father wouldn't allow it."

"Clark had a dog named Shelby," Lex put in, reaching out to take Clark's hand. Clark squeezed his fingers just a bit. Lex met Potter's gaze calmly. "Are we done here?"

"Who knows you're getting married?" she demanded, glaring at their joined hands.

"No one," Lex replied easily. "We didn't want anyone to see this as a conflict of interest—since we work together."

"And your families?" Potter's eyes darted back and forth between them, searching for some crack in the facade. "Surely you've told them?"

Lex's lips curved in a smirk. "I'm an only child and my parents are dead."

"How convenient." She sneered at him then turned back to Clark. "And I suppose your family is dead too?"

"We're telling his family this weekend." Lex's voice was icy. "And I'd thank you to be polite to my fiancé."

Clark swallowed, chilled at Potter's words, yet warmed by Lex's instant defense. It might be part of the act, but Clark knew Lex well enough to know that he did care in his own way. "I was adopted, Ms Potter," Clark said quietly. It had been a very long time since he'd thought of his biological family, yet the pain was still there. The Kents were his parents in every way that mattered, but he was an orphan, and that would always be a part of his identity.

"Clark's birth parents died in a car crash when he was two years old." Lex's expression softened as he met Clark's eyes, his fingers tightening on Clark's in wordless support. He turned back to Potter, and the chill was back in his eyes and voice. "In the future, it might be a good idea to think before you speak, Ms Potter."

She sputtered, then squared her shoulders. "I had no idea, Mr Kent. I am sorry if I offended you, but it's my job to ensure that you are not helping Mr Luthor break the law." She picked up her phone and tapped at the screen. "The INS will see you both in ten days for your official interview. Your stories better match up on every account." With a last glare at Lex, she swept out of the office with her head held high.

Clark watched her until the elevator doors closed behind her, then he turned to face Lex. "What just happened?" Clark tugged his hand free, but Lex took a step closer, so that Clark had to tip his head down to see Lex's face.

"I think you deserve a raise, Clark." Lex's voice was soft and warm, sending a thrill down Clark's spine. "That was definitely going above and beyond. Thank you."

Clark opened his mouth, then closed it. What the hell had Lex done to get a deportation agent after him? Finally able to speak again, he said, "You realize we have to keep up this pretense until she's satisfied?"

Lex dipped his head in something like a nod, his thumb absently rubbing over Clark's knuckles. "I hear there's a holiday you Americans celebrate late this Thursday? And your parents wanted you there? We could both go. It would give us an opportunity to learn about each other. That is—" He lifted his gaze from their joined hands to meet Clark's eyes, and there was something in his face Clark had never seen before: uncertainty. "—if you're willing to do this."

"She'll deport you if I don't." Lex nodded. Clark wet his lips. "You'll lose everything you've worked for here." Lex nodded again. Clark took a deep breath. "If I do, you'll promote me to editor."

Lex's face went blank with surprise, his hairless eyebrows climbing toward his bare scalp. "What?"

"If I'm going to lie to my family and risk going to jail for you, you're making me editor." Clark held Lex's gaze without flinching. At least this way, he would have something to show his parents when this was all over.

Something that looked like respect bloomed in Lex's eyes. "Done. You do this and I'll make you editor."

Well, that was easier than Clark had expected it to be. "I'll let my parents know we're coming."

"So." Lex relaxed back into the leather seat of his Porsche, eyes on the road. "What do I need to know before we get there?"

"Well, um." Clark resisted the urge to squirm. "I told them we've been dating for six months. They… aren't exactly delighted that this is the first they're hearing of it."

Lex nodded, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Do they have an issue with me being a man? Or that I'm the slave driver boss they're always after you to escape? Or both?"

"No! Well…" Clark ducked his head. For some reason, looking at Lex was making him uncomfortable. "The second one, maybe. And they don't like me lying to them." He bit his lip, twisting his hands together in his lap. "I don't like lying to them," he added under his breath.

Lex's hand suddenly covered Clark's, long fingers stilling the nervous movement. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you trouble."

Clark couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he raised his eyes again. "I've never heard you say 'sorry' before so I thought that was just an urban legend."

"What?" Lex glanced over at him, clearly lost.

"The stereotype that Canadians are always saying 'sorry'."

The corner of Lex's mouth rose in a small amused smile as he returned his eyes to the road. "You've really never heard me say it before? I suppose I haven't had a reason to."

Tires that probably cost as much as the whole farm crunched over the snow as Lex guided the car carefully along the driveway and up to the house. "Looks just like a Norman Rockwell or a... Thomas Kincaid," Lex commented as he switched off the engine.

"Really?" Clark tried to see his childhood home as a stranger would see it, as Lex would see it. Snow lay in a thick white blanket over everything and multicoloured lights framed the edge of the roof. Jonathan always put the lights up early at Martha's insistence—she didn't want him out climbing ladders once winter weather hit. Clark had to admit it did look like a painting or a Christmas card. "I guess it does."

The front door swung open and Jonathan Kent stepped out onto the porch, his disapproving gaze on Lex. There was a moment of awkward silence, then Jessie burst through the door and down the stairs to throw herself at Clark. Hugging him tightly then pulling back, she turned to eye Lex askance. "Are you really gonna marry him?" she asked in a stage whisper.

He sighed. He really hated lying to his little sister. And his parents. So he dodged the question. "He's not so bad. Once you get to know him."

"Okay," she said dubiously. "So, when you called him 'hellboss' that was, what? To throw me off the scent? So I wouldn't know you were dating a guy? Did you really think I'd have a problem with you being… what? Gay? Bi?"

Clark bit his lip. "Bi." At least that was a small truth he could tell. "And… I don't know."

"Clark, you're my brother and I love you. No matter what." She glared at him until he nodded, then turned away and, marching over to stand in front of Lex, she looked him in the eye. "You better not hurt my brother."

"I wasn't planning on it," Lex replied mildly.

"Good!" Jessie grabbed Lex's hand, then Clark's, and dragged them into the house. "Mom! They're here!"

Martha turned around from where she was stirring something on the stove and pulled Clark into her arms, embracing him tightly. Then she released him and hugged Lex as well. He met Clark's eyes over her head, clearly stunned, and Clark just smiled at him. Lex needed to be hugged more.

Releasing Lex, Martha then shooed them up the stairs so she could finish dinner. To Clark's shock, Jonathan took Lex's bag directly to Clark's room, dropping it on the floor beside the bed. "Supper will be ready soon," he said as he turned to leave the room. "Get settled and come on down."

"Wait, Dad." Clark took a step after him. "Didn't Mom make up the guest room? For Lex?"

Stopping, but not turning around, Jonathan shook his head, his shoulders suddenly tight. "That room's occupied. Your Grandfather's here. And we're under no illusions that you two haven't slept in the same bed before."

"Grandpa's here?" It wasn't that Clark didn't get along with Martha's father, but Jonathan really didn't. This was going to be so awkward and tense.

Jonathan's shoulders tightened even more. "Your mother's invited a few friends over for dinner. Sort of an 'engagement party' for the two of you."

Clark's eyes widened when he entered the kitchen again. William Clark sat beside his daughter Martha at the table—no surprise there—but his was not the face that caught his attention. She looked up at Clark, her smile as bright and beautiful as he remembered. Lana Lang. His first love, and the girl he'd left behind.

"Hey, Clark," she said softly. "Congratulations." Her gaze flickered over his shoulder to where Lex followed him.

"Lana." Was there enough air in here? Good God, having Lana and Lex in the same room was not good for his sanity. "What are you doing here?"

Her smile tilted, and an amused sparkle sprang into her eyes. "Your dad invited me."

"I thought you moved away?" He sank into a chair, barely aware that Lex took the seat beside him.

"I did. Then I moved back to teach at the elementary school." She tipped her head, and her hair fell forward like a dark curtain, obscuring half of her face. "About six months ago."

"That's—that's great. You know, if it's what you want." And now he was babbling.

"Yeah." Lana accepted the serving dish of mashed potatoes Jonathan offered her. "I think it is." She turned toward Lex. "You must be Lex."

"And you must be Lana." Lex's voice was calm and smooth, perfectly polite.

"Clark and Lana were quite the item in high school," Jonathan put in with studied offhandedness.

Clark tensed. His dad had always liked Lana, had been disappointed when Clark ran off to the big city without her. But was there more to it than that? Jonathan was old-fashioned enough to have a problem with his son marrying a man.

Laughing, Lana waved a hand as if batting away a bug. "Ancient history."

Jonathan poured gravy over his potatoes. "Feels like yesterday to me."

Laughing, Lana shook her head. "Clark and I are good friends. Well, old friends." She focused on Clark again. "So, tell me everything. Who proposed? And how did you do it?"

"Well… um." Clark turned to Lex. It was only fair he have to field this question since this whole mess had been his idea. They really should have figured this part of their story out earlier. "You tell it, honey."

The corner of Lex's mouth tipped up and his eyes glinted. "Sure, sweetie." He settled into his chair, getting into storytelling mode. "It was our six-month anniversary, and Clark had somehow found a first edition of Freeman's biography of Alexander the Great. Inside the front cover, he'd slipped a note that read, 'May I be your Hephaestion? Forever?' I looked up and he'd gone to one knee with a ring in his hand." Pausing, Lex glanced around the table at the rapt faces. "I said 'yes' of course."

"What's a Heff-ess-chun?" Jessie asked, stabbing her fried chicken with her fork.

Lex's smile grew and glanced at Clark before turning his attention on Jessie. "He was Alexander's best friend and confidant, and some scholars believe they were lovers. I agree with that interpretation, and of course Clark knew that."

Clearing his throat, William put in, "I have to admit that my knowledge of Alexander the Great is pretty much limited to… he was a guy who lived a long while ago and tried to take over the world."

"So did this happen before or after the INS agent came sniffing around?" Jonathan asked gruffly. And how the hell did he know about that?

"Jonathan!" Martha glared at her husband, but Lex just smiled and shook his head.

"It's fine. I'd wonder too. The timing of our engagement announcement does look suspicious." Lex turned a smile on Clark. "I don't know what else to tell you other than that I'm crazy about your son." Lacing his fingers with Clark's, Lex lifted Clark's hand to his lips and brushed his lips across the knuckles, sending a surprising and embarrassing rush of heat through Clark's entire body. If he didn't know better, Clark would swear Lex was completely sincere. He was as good an actor as he was a storyteller.

After dinner, Lex offered to help clean up, and Martha shooed Clark out of the kitchen, insisting that she needed some one-on-one time to get to know him, so Clark wandered out to the barn, breathing deep of the scent of hay and animals and the oily metallic tang of the farm equipment. The loft was just as he'd left it, the space his father had made for him in high school, his "fortress of solitude." Walking past the ratty old couch, Clark slid open the hayloft door rested his elbows on the windowsill and looked out over the fields. What the hell was he doing?

A soft footstep behind him told him he wasn't alone, then Lana leaned on the sill beside him. "Remember when we used to come up here to hide out from the world?"

He laughed. "You mean from chores and homework."

Her smile was still just as stunning as he recalled. "When your father grounded you that week, I was devastated. I missed this place so much."

She'd punched him in the teeth just as Jonathan walked up the stairs and, being an old-fashioned man, Jonathan had assumed Clark was at fault. Not that he was wrong in this case. "I remember. I wanted to sneak out to see you so many times that week… but I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me. Besides—" He laughed wryly. "—my pride hurt nearly as much as my jaw." Which wasn't really that much, to be honest—she'd still hit harder than he expected, but she'd been taking boxing lessons so he probably should have expected it to hurt.

Lana laughed softly, her eyes bright in the fading light from the setting sun. "I'd never been kissed before. I… didn't really handle the surprise well. I did admit it then. Or… well, a week later, when I was allowed to speak to you again."

"Yeah, you did." Looking into Lana's eyes, Clark wished things could have been different. He had loved her, and she had loved him. If he'd tried harder, could they have made things work? But then he probably wouldn't have gone to Metropolis and might never have discovered how much he loved editing. But would that have mattered? Maybe he would have been happy anyway.

Her smile faded and she dropped her eyes. "Clark, I—" She cut herself off and chewed on her lip, staring at her hands as she picked at a loose sliver on the edge of the windowsill.

"Is something wrong?" Clearly something was.

Lana shook her head, but her eyes were suspiciously bright. "No—nothing. Never mind."

"It's been awhile, but I still consider you a friend. Talk to me."

"I made a mistake, Clark. A huge mistake." She raised her eyes to his again, her gaze intense. "My timing couldn't be worse I know, but Clark: I–I should never have let you go." She swallowed hard. "I mean… I guess it wouldn't have worked out between us anyway, what with you being gay. I'm sorry." She waved a hand helplessly, and choked back a sob.

"What?" Clark blinked. "Lana, what we had was real. I'm not gay. I'm bi. I did love you." Maybe still do. God, this was a mess.

She raised her eyes again, and tears spilled over onto her cheeks. Clark couldn't help himself and pulled her into his arms. She came with a gasp, instantly wetting his shirt with her tears. "I'm sorry, Clark. I just—I want you back. I know it's selfish, and terrible timing, and I told myself I wouldn't say anything, but…" She fisted one hand in his shirt, lifting her eyes to his again. "I still love you."

"Lana—" Shit. He had no idea what to say. Did he still love her? Did it matter? He couldn't tell her. Not when he was in the middle of this farce with Lex.

"I feel like we're meant to be together, Clark. I've always felt we were." Lana's tear-drenched eyes begged him to see what she saw. "Even when you were gone, and I tried to tell myself that I was wrong. I thought… maybe you felt it too, and maybe if we just had another chance..."

"Lana, I—" Needing to put some space between them, Clark stepped away to pace the small area from the couch to the bookshelves and back. Running a hand through his hair, he struggled to find something—anything—to say.

"Hey." The soft greeting from the stairs made him jump guiltily as he turned toward Lex, who only nodded politely.

Lana, for her part, looked even guiltier than Clark felt. "Hey, Lex," she said, glancing at Clark and edging away from him as if she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Which she kind of almost had. If this thing with Lex had been real, anyway. "I should get going. Papers to mark." She headed for the stairs. "It was nice to meet you, Lex. And to see you again, Clark."

As she left, Clark heard his father enter the barn and he and Lana exchange greetings as Clark avoided Lex's gaze. Then, Jonathan called up, "Clark? Could you come help me with the tractor?"

Finally looking at Lex, Clark shrugged. "Sorry. Gotta go." Lex just nodded, a thoughtful half smile on his lips. Clark hesitated, then shook his head, and went down the stairs and followed Jonathan into the back of the barn. "So where's the tractor you wanted me to look at?"

"Forget the tractor." Jonathan leaned against the wall and folded his arms tightly across his chest. "I just needed to talk to you alone."

"Okay…" Clark slowly sat down on a bale of hay. What now?

Jonathan sighed. "I just… I want you to be happy, son. I mean, one minute Luthor's the boss from Hell, and the next day he's the love of your life?"

"Things change, Dad." God, he hated lying to him like this. He sighed. "I knew you would react like this."

Jonathan's eyes flashed up to meet Clark's. "Like what?"

Clark waved a hand helplessly. "Like you think I'm making a huge mistake and destroying my life!"

"You are!" Jonathan took a deep breath, unfolded his arms and folded them again. "Why couldn't you have stayed with Lana? She's nice."

Gritting his teeth, Clark forced himself to speak calmly. "She is nice; that's not the point! Just… can't you give him a chance, Dad?"

"You know what I think, Clark?" Jonathan looked away, his stance tightening even more, somehow. "You never had a teenage rebellion, so this… this is some kind of belated acting out."

"What?" Clark stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell?" He stood up, suddenly furious. "You think this is some kind of phase or something? That I'll wake up and realize I really want to marry some nice girl and settle down with a white picket fence?"

"No, that's not what I said—"

But Clark cut him off. "That's just great, Dad." Turning on his heel, he left. Sure he wasn't really engaged to Lex, or even dating him, but that wasn't the point.

"Take the bed." Clark waved toward the double bed as Lex followed him into his bedroom. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous, Clark. You'll ruin your back. We're both adults, and I'm certain we can share."

"I've slept on the floor before." Clark felt a bit defensive at the suggestion that he couldn't handle it. "Many times."

Stopping by the bed, Lex turned and graced him with an amused smile. "Well, if you truly want to sleep on the floor, then be my guest."

Well, now he didn't know what to do. Part of him really wanted to join Lex in the bed. And yet, he was pretty sure that was a very bad idea. "I'll just grab some blankets and a pillow." He pulled said items from the bed and laid them out under the window, feeling Lex's eyes on him and trying to ignore it.

"Sleep well then," Lex said softly.

Clark didn't sleep well. He didn't get much sleep at all, listening to Lex's breathing while trying—and failing—to find a comfortable position on the hard floor. Maybe it would have been a better idea to share the bed after all.

At breakfast, Martha served them fresh-baked cinnamon buns with a smile, and Lex seemed oddly uncomfortable. It puzzled Clark, who had seen Lex appear at ease in any and every situation. After breakfast, Lex asked Clark to go for a walk with him, and they wandered away from the house.

After a few minutes of silence, Lex asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"What?" Clark nearly tripped over his own feet staring at Lex's profile. "Doing what?"

Lex stopped and waved a hand impatiently. "Lying to your parents."

What? "This was your idea!"

"I know!" Lex let out a deep sigh, staring at his expensive shoes—shoes that were going to get ruined out here. "They're good people, Clark. They don't deserve this." He stopped and turned his intense gaze on Clark. "You don't deserve this."

"But… Lex, you were gonna be deported!" Clark should be delighted. Why was he arguing to continue lying to his parents? He hated lying to them.

Lex shrugged his eyes still on his shoes. "I would land on my feet; I always do."

"But—" The thought of Lex leaving the country sent a sudden and surprising jolt of dismay through Clark. To never see him again—that would be… terrible. Oh God. He didn't really have feelings for Lex, did he?

Lex finally looked up, met Clark's eyes, and a small smile curved his lips. "Thank you, Clark. But I'll be fine. You don't have to do this anymore."

He turned to head back to the house, but Clark caught his shoulder. "What if I want to?" What the hell was he doing? But he couldn't just let Lex go.

Lex turned his head back, his lips parted, his eyes wide. "What?"

The sudden desire to kiss those lips, to find out if they were as soft as they looked, gripped Clark. Shit. He did have feelings for Lex. But Lex obviously didn't feel the same way for Clark. Realizing he still had his hand on Lex's shoulder and was still staring at his lips, he let go and dropped his gaze. "Never mind."

"Clark?" Lex took a step toward him and put a hand on Clark's shoulder. "What do you want?"

"I—" I want you. God no, he couldn't say that. And when had that happened anyway? Lex had always been a tough but fair boss, and somehow Clark had started seeing him as a friend at some point, but this? What the hell? "Lana wants me back," he blurted out. What the hell?

Lex nodded. "I'm sorry, Clark. I've been completely unfair to you." He dropped his hand from Clark's shoulder and took a step back, and Clark stupidly wanted to protest. "I've been selfish, expecting you to put your life on hold for me."

"Maybe we should come clean." It was surprisingly difficult to say, and Clark looked away, scuffing his toes in the dirt. His shoes would survive.

"I think we should." Lex's voice was soft.

"Okay. Yeah." Clark let out a breath. The sooner the better then. He strode back toward the house with Lex at his heels.

His steps faltered in the front yard when he saw the strange car. Shit. If his parents had more company for Thanksgiving, this might have to wait. It would be torture to sit through the turkey dinner tonight, waiting for a chance to tell them.

As he came through the door, Clark's eyes fell on the woman sitting in the living room across from his father. Nell Potter, the immigration agent from Metropolis. What the hell?

"Clark." Jonathan leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, lacing his fingers together. "We need to talk."

"Dad?" Clark's eyes flickered back and forth between his dad and Potter. "What is this?"

Jonathan sighed. "She says you're lying. Clark, if you are, you could go to prison for immigration fraud."

Potter smiled a cold shark's smile. "One last chance: you tell the truth, Luthor publishes my book, and no prison for either of you."

"Publishes your—?" Clark looked at Lex, completely lost.

Lex rolled his eyes as he came to stand next to Clark. "Ms Potter submitted a manuscript. It was a fever dream. Nine hundred offensive and pointless pages. One of the worst books ever written." He turned his stare on Potter. "I refused to publish it so she is going to deport me."

"What?" Clark felt his mouth fall open, and snapped it shut. "That's blackmail!" He turned on his father. "You invited her in? Whose side are you on here?"

Jonathan lifted a hand as if to reach out to his son. "Look, Clark, I'm not on board with the blackmail, but I cannot allow you to throw your life away—"

Clark cut him off. "You do not get to make this decision. This is my decision."

Lex rested a hand on Clark's shoulder. "Clark, it's fine."

"This is blackmail, Lex!" Half turning, Clark met Lex's eyes. "We can't let her get away with this!"

Holding his gaze, Lex replied, "I don't see that we have any choice. You can't shackle yourself to me like this."

"So, you admit it was a lie!" Nell interjected triumphantly.

"I don't admit anything of the sort!" Clark retorted.

"What's going on?" Martha came in from the kitchen, her eyes flickering across the faces before her. "Who lied? And about what?"

Lex turned to her. "I'm sorry, Mrs Kent… Mr Kent." He nodded at Jonathan. "I made Clark agree to this engagement."

"What?" Martha took a step toward Clark, who grabbed Lex's hand from his shoulder, holding it tightly with both of his.

"Don't do this, Lex," Clark begged, but Lex just smiled at him and turned his hand to squeeze Clark's.

"Don't blame him. This was all my idea. I made him do it." Clark shook his head helplessly, but Lex continued, "It was a terrible, selfish idea. I'm sorry, Clark." He squeezed Clark's hand again, then stepped back. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I think I have overstayed my welcome. Ms Potter, if you are ready? Oh, and, Clark." He tossed a set of keys which Clark fumbled, and barely managed to catch. "You can return it later. Or keep it. We'll take Ms Potter's car." He stopped with the door open and looked back. "Have an amazing life, Clark. You're a good person. You deserve it."

In shock, Clark stared at the car keys, then at Lex. He had to stop this, stop him. But, how? There was nothing he could say, nothing he could do. Besides, what could he offer Lex? Even if he loved Lex, which—no, it was too soon for that; he'd only just realized he liked Lex—there was no hint that Lex felt anything for him. He couldn't shackle Lex to him like that. No, he was being selfish too. He had to let Lex go.

"Are you really going to let him go?" Martha put a hand on Clark's arm, and he looked up into her eyes, baffled at the question. The door clicked shut behind Lex and Potter, the sound echoing in Clark's imagination. "Sweetie, I've seen the way you look at him. And I've seen the way he looks at you."

Clark was already shaking his head. "No. Mom, he was just looking for a way to stay in the country. And I… I just agreed to help."

"Honey." She put both hands on his shoulders and turned him to fully face her. "You're not my little boy anymore, and I know you have to live your own life, but I think you're making a mistake. I admit I don't know Lex very well, but you are not that good of an actor, and I really don't think he is either."

He could only shake his head in response.

"Clark?"

He turned away from his forlorn perusal of the driveway where Lex had vanished. Lana paused at the top of the stairs, then crossed the loft to stand beside Clark.

"I heard what happened," she said, looking up at him. "I'll have a million questions for you tomorrow… but for now, I just have one."

Looking down into her eyes, he took a fortifying breath. Forget Lex. He loved Lana, had loved her for years. Lex was beyond his reach, but maybe he could fix things with Lana. She, at least, felt the same way about him. No point pining after someone who wasn't even interested.

Something in his face made her smile. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"

Yes, he could fix things with Lana. Dipping his head, he covered her mouth with his. She sighed into the kiss, her body swaying toward him, melting against him. She slid her hands up and over his shoulders, then up into his hair. She nipped at his lower lip then ran her tongue over it, sending a thrill through him. Lifting his hands, he rested them on her waist and pulled her closer, slipping his tongue between her lips to tangle with hers. Yes, this was what he wanted. Lana was his best friend, and they knew everything about each other. Besides, Lex was his boss and that was kinda weird, to be honest.

He broke the kiss and pulled back, sucking in a sharp breath. Lex's face appeared before his mind's eye, lips curved in a half smile. He'd never kissed those lips, maybe never would, but God he wanted to. What the hell was wrong with him? Lana was right here, willing and eager to be with him, and he couldn't stop thinking about the man who'd walked away. Lex had rejected him. But was that because Lex didn't want him, or because he was trying to allow Clark to be free?

If you love someone, set them free. No; that was ridiculous. Lex didn't love him. It had only been a sham, an act. Not that it was impossible. Lex had dated men before. It wasn't like Clark was falling for a straight guy.

"Clark?" Lana was looking up at him with gentle questioning eyes, and he felt like shit. Good God, how selfish was he? Now he was leading her on. She stroked his cheek with the knuckles of one hand. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He swallowed hard. "When Lex left… I felt sick. I just… I miss him. I want to be with him, to be near him." He looked away, not wanting to see the hurt in her eyes. "Yes, it was a fake engagement, all an act—at first. But somewhere along the way, it became real, at least on my side. I'm sorry, Lana. I do love you. I'm just… so confused."

"Clark." Laying a hand along his cheek, Lana turned his head back toward her so he had to look into her eyes. They were full of tears, but she smiled. "Why did you let him go?"

"I don't think he feels the same way." He held her gaze, his own eyes filling with tears. "But… I don't know."

Stroking her thumb along his cheekbone, Lana whispered, "I think you owe it to both of you to find out. Go after him, Clark. Ask him."

"Yeah." Yes, of course that's what he had to do. How stupid he had been to let Lex go without talking to him. "Thank you, Lana." He bent to drop a kiss on her forehead, then raced down the stairs and outside to where Porsche waited. The engine turned over smoothly, a quiet roar that hummed in his bones, then he threw the car into gear and spun around in a spray of snow to race down the driveway and out onto the road. Thank God for expensive winter tires.

The road was clear and dry, and it was not too long with such a powerful engine before Clark saw Potter's car on the road ahead. Quickly closing the distance between them, Clark pulled alongside the sedan, then yanked the wheel to cut them off. Potter swerved onto the shoulder, slamming on her brakes, and Clark came to a stop just ahead of them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She burst from the car, fists clenched. "Are you insane?"

"Maybe." Clark stepped out of the Porsche, watching Lex slowly emerge from the passenger side of Potter's car. "There's something I have to say to Lex. And then, if he still wants to leave, I won't try to stop you."

"Clark?" An unwonted vulnerability graced Lex's face as he stared at Clark over the open door.

Clark stepped forward and rested a hand on the sedan's hood. "Lex, I know you're used to being on your own. And that you're comfortable with your life the way it is. I know, because I felt the same way." He paused to wet his lips. "But… I'm tired of being alone. And I think you're tired of being alone too. I don't know how you feel about me, but… I really like you, and—" He choked on his words, swallowed, and kept going. "What I'm trying to say is that I'd like to date you. If you want to. If you don't, then I'll just let you go now." Oh God, that was stupid.

But Lex's eyes were soft, and he closed the door and walked toward Clark as if in a dream. Clark had never seen such an open expression on Lex's face before.

"Dating an American citizen is not enough!" Potter snarled. "This changes nothing!"

Ignoring her, Clark kept his eyes on Lex, who now stood before him, nearly touching. He studied Clark's face as if reading an incredible manuscript. "Do you really mean that, Clark?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm sick that you left, Lex. I can't stand thinking I'll never see you again."

"We have a deal!" Potter shouted. "You can't back out now!"

"The hell I can't," Lex said calmly. "I was never going to publish your book, Ms Potter." And why had she thought he would? "I spoke to my lawyer while I was in Smallville, and she told me you have no case." He lifted a hand and touched Clark's cheek with just his fingertips. "My work visa hasn't expired, and it's not up to you whether it gets renewed. My employer has that prerogative, if they're happy with my work, which they are."

Potter slumped against her car, the wind gone out of her sails. "But—" she sputtered.

"Wait." Clark shook his head. "You're not leaving the country? When were you going to tell me? Were you going to tell me? It would be nice to know if I still have a job on Monday."

"Ah, yes." Lex dropped his gaze, a slight flush colouring his cheeks. "I may not have been thinking entirely clearly. I think I was… falling for someone, someone I thought deserved someone much better."

Warmth filled Clark despite the cold. He smiled. "So, to clarify, I still have a job?"

Lex met his eyes again. "I'm not firing you."

Clark took another step forward. "So… you were falling for me?"

Lex held his gaze. "What about Lana?"

Clark took a deep breath. "Lana's my friend, and that's never going to change. But the reasons we didn't work out as a couple the first time are still valid. And she… she told me to go after you, to figure this out. I think I owe it to her as much as to either of us."

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Lex said softly, his eyes holding Clark's.

"But it did." Clark put a hand on Lex's face, and Lex rose on his toes, their lips coming together suddenly. Heat rushed through Clark's body, leaving him gasping. Maybe they weren't getting married soon, if ever, but this felt right.