IV

The Winchesters had only arrived at the Luthor mansion a few minutes before Clark had. Dean was muttering complaints about how they'd had to drive for hours just to "save Lex from his stupidity" as they walked towards the mansion.

"Lex Luthor is so stupid…" Dean mumbled. Sam rolled his eyes as Dean continued to criticize the billionaire under his breath. Sam just hoped Dean wouldn't lash out on Lex too badly when they saw him face-to-face.

Within a minute the Winchesters were being led to Lex's library by one of his guards. Sam continued to wish they were returning on better terms as they walked down the hallways. This place was just as huge as Sam remembered. He wondered what it would be like to be a billionaire. What would living in a place like this be like? What would, at the very least, having a home feel like? The youngest Winchester once again let his fantasies of a normal life fill his head. He never wanted to be a hunter. He wished that he could get out of it all soon…

Before Sam could continue to dream further, the guard opened the door to the library and gestured for the Winchesters to enter. Lex was sitting at his desk when the brothers entered. He closed his laptop, stood up and walked around the desk, leaning against the front of it. Lex nodded to the guard who closed the door, leaving the three of them alone in the library.

"I'm assuming this is a very bad situation because you really did drive all the way here." Lex said after a few moments of silence.

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, well I'm assuming you heard what making a deal with a demon means. I did tell you at the end of our conversation."

"The revelation that in ten years I'll be burning in hell did stick in my head." Lex said. "Have you helped someone out of one of these deals before?"

"We just learned about them ourselves a few weeks ago. But, yes, we did help someone out of a deal, only barely. And doing that had made the crossroad demons hate us for sure. Blackmailing them again to let another person out of a deal may not be an easy task." Dean explained.

Sam watched the two of them talk to each other. They both had a slight anger and annoyance to their voices and seemed to have put their guards up right after they caught sight of one another. Dean and Lex definitely didn't get along very well and though it may seem like the two of them hated each other, Sam knew that wasn't it. And it wasn't just because Dean said so. The look in their eyes suggested dislike and disagreement, but not hatred. Sam especially knew in Dean's case as he'd seen hatred for people in Dean's eyes and this definitely wasn't it. Sam was actually surprised Dean hadn't -

"What were you thinking when you made that deal!?" Dean yelled angrily.

- lashed out against Lex yet. So much for that thought…

"I think you give yourself too much credit for being intelligent Luthor!" Dean continued, taking a couple steps towards Lex. "Because listening to a demon was just complete stupidity! Complete stupidity that I now have to come and fix at your request! Here's something to think about: Next time you need our help because your life is in jeopardy, we're not coming!"

Lex was silent for a moment before saying with bitterness in his voice, "If I ever needed help again I wouldn't even bother calling. I could probably find a better, more dependable hunter than you."

That is not helping. Sam thought as he watched the situation unfold.

"Good for you. Maybe they'll actually careabout saving your ass, because I don't. I'm not here for you. I'm here for your friend." Dean said.

"What are you talking about?" Lex asked.

"Clark; the kid who is going to blame himself when you're in hell. Did you even think about how Clark might feel about this before making this deal?" Dean questioned. "Do you have any idea how guilty and sad he'll feel about this?"

"I don't regret making that deal Dean." Lex informed him. "You can't make me regret it either, because I couldn't let my best friend die. Even with the knowledge of what a deal with a demon means, I would likely have proceeded with it anyway."

"You're selfish, you know that?" Dean said. "A completely selfish bastard."

Lex's face was filled with more anger as he walked in front of Dean. "At least I'm not a hypocrite."

"A hypocrite?" Dean repeated, sounding amused.

"What would you do if Sam were to die?" Lex asked.

Sam's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't see Dean's face since he was standing a couple feet behind his brother. He wondered what was going through Dean's mind after Lex asked that question. Would my brother sell his soul for me if I were to die?

The few moments of silence seemed to satisfy Lex. "My actions aren't too different than what yours would have been, Winchester."

"This isn't about me." Dean reminded Lex. "This is about you and Clark. What I would do in the situation doesn't matter right now."

"It does if you're calling me out against a deal I made, that you would have made quicker than I did if Sam were dead." Lex countered.

"Sam's not dying." Dean said, sounding extremely angry.

"That's what I thought about Clark." Lex pointed out.

Lex raised his eyebrows, seeming completely annoyed with the older Winchester. Sam could sense how angry that his older brother was. There was only a beat of silence after Lex spoke before Dean threw a powerful punch across the billionaire's face. There was a bit of blood dripping out of Lex's nose, but if he was in pain, he didn't show it. Lex punched Dean right back with as much force the older Winchester had used on him.

Knowing that wouldn't be the end of it by Dean's raised fist, Sam rushed over to the two of them. He pushed Dean and Lex away from each other and held them both back. "Stop it! This isn't solving anything!"

Dean and Lex stared at each other angrily, but didn't try to punch each other again. After a moment, Sam lowered his arms, but kept a careful eye on both of them in case they were to lash out again.

"What are you going to tell Clark?" Dean asked.

"I'm not telling him anything. We're solving this and I'm putting it behind me. Even if I don't get out of this deal, I'm keeping it a secret." Lex answered.

"Yeah, secrets... That's going to help your friendship." Dean said sarcastically.

"You think telling him would be a more sensible solution?" Lex questioned.

"I don't think you should have sold your soul to bring Clark back to life in the first place!" Dean exclaimed.

"Lex did what?!" A voice exclaimed.

The Winchesters and the billionaire directed their attention to where the voice came from. Standing at the door, looking panicked and confused, stood Clark Kent.

Clark isn't going to take this very well. Sam thought, giving the farmboy a small, sad smile.

-SUPERVILLE—

Minutes ago…

Clark stood frozen in front of the Winchester's Impala for another moment, before sighing and looking at the mansion.

Lex what did you do?

Expecting the worst, Clark headed over to the gate and squeezed between the bars. He didn't have time to make it known that he was there. He rushed into the mansion as fast as he could without actually super speeding. Since it didn't seem like a life or death situation at the moment, Clark didn't see the need to do anything that risked his secret.

Clark arrived outside the library doors and opened one of them a crack. He saw Lex, Dean and Sam standing in the middle of the room.

Sam was pushing Dean and Lex apart yelling, "Stop it! This isn't solving anything!"

Had Dean and Lex been punching each other? Clark grew confused. The two of them hadn't been on such good terms last time, but they didn't seem like they would go at each other like that. But here the two of them were with bloody noses and very clear anger with each other. They would likely still be punching one another if Sam wasn't there. Clark mentally thanked Sam for playing peacemaker as the younger Winchester cautiously lowered his arms.

"What are you going to tell Clark?" Dean asked Lex.

Clark froze at the mention of his name. What exactly was it that he needed to be told?

"I'm not telling him anything. We're solving this and I'm putting it behind me. Even if I don't get out of this deal, I'm keeping it a secret." Lex answered.

Lex what did you do?!

Clark had no idea what this talk about a deal was, but it definitely didn't sound good. Neither did the fact that Lex was planning on keeping it all a secret from Clark. And without even knowing the situation he knew it wouldn't be simply solved so easily.

"Yeah, secrets... That's going to help your friendship." Dean commented sarcastically.

Clark felt his heart fall a little. Even if Clark learned of this situation, there were still secrets between him and Lex. Lex didn't know that Clark was an alien from a planet called Krypton and Clark's parents never want him to tell the billionaire either. But the young Kryptonian wondered it would be like if he did tell Lex about his powers and origins. Clark wished that there were no secrets between him and his best friend, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen. Even though Dean didn't say it exactly, he was right; secrets had the potential to put a huge strain on their friendship.

"You think telling him would be a more sensible solution?" Lex questioned.

Clark continued to peer through the door and listen to the conversation. He hoped that maybe he could get the answers to his questions before going in. Lex didn't seem willing to tell Clark otherwise after all…

"I don't think you should have sold your soul to bring Clark back to life in the first place!" Dean exclaimed.

Clark's blood ran cold. That was what happened last night… He had… He had…

He threw the double doors to the library opened, "Lex did what?!"

Sam, Dean and Lex all looked to the door in surprise, obviously not expecting the sudden outburst. Clark stood still, feeling so panicked and confused he couldn't seem to process full thoughts on the situation. Sam looked at Clark and gave him a small, sad smile. Clark only wished that he was in a situation where seeing the younger Winchester here would be a good thing.

"He brought you back to life." Dean answered after a long moment of silence.

"Last night on that crossroads… I did get stabbed and I died. Lex, you told me I was just sliced and fell unconscious! What exactly did you do?" Clark exclaimed.

"Like I said before when you were snooping behind the door: Lex sold his soul." Dean replied.

Clark looked at Lex, who was trying to avoid eye contact with the farmboy.

Lex sold his soul for me… Clark wasn't even aware you could sell your soul in the first place. Considering however, that the Winchesters were here, it was clearly a supernatural related creature that pulled this off. But what happened now?

"Lex… What's going to happen to you?" He couldn't stop the anger and concern he felt from creeping into his voice.

Lex locked eyes with Clark and sighed. "In ten years, I'm going to hell."

Clark's eyes widened. "What!? H-How does that work? Is a demon just going to show up at your door and drag you down?"

"Hellhounds…" Sam muttered, looking down at the floor.

"What?" Clark questioned.

"I'm sorry Clark…" Sam apologized. "It's hellhounds… They'll come to… To kill Lex."

"Lex, what were you thinking!? How could you make that deal!?" Clark demanded, his eyes growing misty. Clark's best friend was going to hell... For him.

"You were dead!" Lex exclaimed. "It was all my fault and I couldn't leave you like that! A demon showed up and the terms of the deal were unbeknownst to me. However even with the circumstances of my actions, I would repeat the "sin" again, with full knowledge of what I was doing."

That didn't help to comfort Clark at all. "Did you think about me before you made this deal?! Did you think about how I would feel when I realized what you'd done!?"

"Clark." Sam said, walking over to him. "That's why Dean and I are here. We're going to help Lex. We'll get him out of this I promise."

The look in Sam's eyes was so genuine that Clark let himself believe the younger Winchester's words. Clark wiped away the tears forming in his eyes before they could fall.

Dean walked over to the two of them. "Come on Sam, let's get on that."

Sam nodded and the Winchesters headed out of the room, leaving Clark and Lex alone.

"Clark I'm sorry." Lex said.

"But you're not!" Clark argued. "You said you'd make the deal again, knowing the consequences!"

"I couldn't live with you dead. You're the only person still in my life, who really cares about me. With my three months on that island just behind me, without you I may have…"

"What?"

"I may have lost my mind. I need you Clark." Lex admitted.

"Did you ever think that maybe I need you too?" Clark asked, angrily. "Did it occur to you that now you're going to be dead and it will be my fault!"

"I-" Lex started.

"No! Stop defending yourself! I don't want to hear it Lex. Just…" He paused. "Send Sam over to tell me what happened when they come back."

Clark turned around and started to leave the room.

"Clark!" Lex yelled.

But the farmboy wasn't turning around...

At the end of the hallway, Clark leaned against the wall and took a deep, shaky breath. He hoped that the Winchesters would be able to save his friend, because if they didn't…

A new feeling erupted in Clark. If the Winchesters couldn't save Clark, then that was that. The Kryptonian would take every single one of hell's pets on to save Lex; even if it meant revealing everything…