~*~

…three…

~*~

"Miss Lane…"

Lex was actually smiling at her. Clark had to fight the urge to tell him to duck. Either Lex didn't notice the anger coming off Lois in waves, or he just didn't care. He went on regardless.

"I see you're still as eloquent as ever…"

Lois sighed, and rubbed at her eyes.

"God," she muttered, "I'd just about forgotten that you really do talk like that."

"You don't look shocked to see me," said Lex.

Clark decided to step in at this point. It was all unravelling a little too fast and there was a lot he needed explained.

"Lois, can you give us a minute, please?"

"Are you kidding?"

"No," said Clark, "Please, I'll be there in a second."

"Fine," said Lois, "But… don't trust him, Clark. Whatever you do, whatever story he's spinning about suddenly rising up out of the grave, just… don't make that mistake again."

Clark gave her a short, curt nod. Lois turned, and headed back for the stairs. Before she got there, she stopped, and turned around again.

"For the record, Lex," she began, "I'm not shocked to see you. I don't know why, but… I guess I always expected to see you again. Like a cockroach, you just won't die, will you?"

"Nice to see you too, Lois," said Lex.

Clark actually groaned. Lois shook her head, and left the barn. Lex chuckled, sinking down onto the couch. Clark just studied him for a long moment. Lex returned his stare, waiting for Clark to speak.

"You can't be alive," he said, eventually.

"We're still stuck on that, are we?"

"It's a pretty big point, Lex."

"I know," said Lex, "If you want, I'll tell you where I've been and you can check for yourself. Get Chloe involved – Oliver, whoever… Do what you do and verify that what I've been saying is true."

"Wouldn't be the first time you've faked a story, Lex."

"Well, obviously I'm not dead, Clark!" Lex surged to his feet and started pacing, "And you're missing the real issue. I'd like to say that you have all the time in the world to figure out if I'm lying or not, but the fact is, you don't! If I'm right about this, then you are going to die. Soon."

"Doomsday?"

"Yes."

"I beat him, Lex," said Clark, "I buried him a hundred feet under!"

"But you didn't kill him," Lex pointed out, "He was still alive when that tunnel came down, and he'll be back!"

"How do you know that?"

For the first time Lex hesitated. He put his hands on his hips and turned away.

Clark wouldn't let it go, "How do you know that, Lex?"

"Because…" said Lex, "When my people went looking for him, he wasn't there!"

"Excuse me?"

Lex sighed, "I assembled a team to dig him out."

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"For the same reason I'm standing here, Clark! To protect you!"

"You know what? You're making it really hard for me to believe a word coming out of your mouth," said Clark.

"Just listen to me," said Lex, sounding a little desperate now, "There's a group called Denton Aeronautics, they're based in Switzerland. They launch rockets for various space missions, but they're not affiliated with any government. As soon as I heard about what happened with Doomsday, I commissioned them to build a special shuttle. An indestructible shuttle. I was going to load the beast inside and shoot him into space. Never to be seen again."

"You were going to launch him into space?"

"I figured it was the only way to make sure he wouldn't terrorise anyone ever again. The problem is when we went to dig him up, Doomsday was gone!"

"So, he dug himself out?" Clark was incredulous, "If that was the case, he would have made an appearance by now. Doomsday was never what you'd call subtle."

"No, there was evidence of drilling, "Lex explained, "Someone went in and got him."

"And you think it's Tess?"

"Who else would have the resources, or the audacity to try it?" asked Lex, "We're talking about the most ruthless serial killer to ever hit this continent. That's not something you mess with lightly."

"If that's true, then you're the one who's responsible," said Clark, "You're the one who left Tess in charge of LutherCorp."

"Actually," said Lex, "I'm not."

"What?"

"Yes, she was legally appointed as CEO, but I didn't sign those papers. I think my father put that little proviso in place when he found out how close I was getting to Veritas."

"So, you didn't have anything to do with Tess taking over?"

"No. I knew her. I worked with her. But I never thought she had what it took to run the company. I still don't."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Someone's been pulling her strings, Clark. From the very beginning."

"Who?"

"I don't know," Lex admitted, "That's what we've got to find out. As soon as we do, we'll find the monster. And maybe we can end this. Once and for all."

It was Clark's turn to flop onto the couch. He just sat, elbows on knees, staring at the floor and thinking. Tentatively, almost fearfully, Lex joined him.

"I'm sorry about this," said Lex, "If I had it my way, you would have gone your whole life without ever having to see me again."

Clark laughed. The sound was hollow and bitter.

"You think that's what I wanted, Lex?" he asked, "You think this is how I wanted it to turn out? Between us?"

"No," said Lex, "I think you wanted me to be a better man than I was capable of being. But I'm trying, Clark. I really am. And even though I have no right to do this again… I'm asking you to trust me."

Clark turned to look at him, reading the earnestness in Lex's gaze, and Lois' words kept echoing in his head.

"Don't trust him, Clark. Whatever you do, whatever story he's spinning about suddenly rising up out of the grave, just… don't make that mistake again."

"I can't," said Clark, "Not now… maybe not ever again. You know the way out."

Clark got up, and walked away. Lex's voice stopped him.

"I saw the ring on Lois' finger," he said, "Are you engaged?"

"I proposed tonight," said Clark.

"Congratulations," said Lex, "You deserve to be happy, Clark. More than anyone, you deserve that. And I know you don't trust me. That's irrelevant. One way or another, I'm gonna make sure you get that long and happy life with her. I think that's the least I can do."

Clark stood frozen to the spot as Lex shuffled past him and down the stairs. The last thing he saw was Lex's coat, wafting in the wind as he disappeared into the rain, and the night.