Ch. 6

Lex walked down the quiet hallways of Smallville medical centre, his three hundred dollar shoes sliding along the floor without a sound. The nearer he got to the room, the more his heart began to beat. Mr. Kent had gone through one heart attack, but another was almost a death sentence. He also knew better than to offer and type of outside help as he had been briefed on the situation earlier. There weren't many times he had been scared for others, but Jonathon was the most honorable person he had ever met. Twenty-four hours had passed, so he could take some comfort in knowing that Mr. Kent was out of immediate danger.

He stopped in front of the room door, his hand shaking as he slowly knocked on it. There was a soft whisper from inside, and he pushed open the door. Inside was Martha, her hand still clutching her husbands as she slept, hunched over the bed. It was almost midnight, and still she would not leave his side. Glancing across the room, he watched Chloe get up off a chair and slowly walk towards him.

Chloe put a finger to her lips and directed him back outside the room. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.

"How is he?" Lex asked, walking with her down the corridor towards the waiting area.

Chloe managed a soft chuckle. "You really need me to tell you that?"

"I guess not." Lex smiled, finally reaching the coffee machine in the waiting area. The lights were dimmed down since there was no one around. He slipped a few coins in the machine and pressed a button. The smell of caffeine filled his nostrils as he leaned a hand on the machine. "Where's Clark?" He looked at Chloe, her face suddenly sullen. "What's wrong?" He asked a second later.

"Lois and Clark have disappeared." She said, her eyes staring blankly at the coffee falling into the cup.

Frowning, Lex grabbed the full cup and handed it to Chloe. Slipping a few more coins into the machine, he looked back at her. "What do you mean they've disappeared?"

"They ran off. Don't even begin to ask me why. I'm sure had something to do about yesterday." She watched her words carefully. Lex may have been Clark's friend, but she knew better than to trust a Luthor with privy information.

Lex smiled to himself as he took the cup from the machine and found a small pack of sugar. Shaking it back and forth, he opened the top and poured the white crystals into his coffee. It was a serious moment, but he had been dying to tell someone for more than a while now. Chloe's attitude and demeanor told him that she knew too. "You mean the fact that Clark crashed through the roof of that trailer?" He sipped his hot coffee, his eyebrows rising up slightly on his forehead.

Chloe almost let her scalding drink fall from her hands, but she regained her composure. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She said instantly.

Lex smiled at her. He could tell the woman was protective of Clark, maybe even more so now. "You know exactly what I mean. We both know Clark is no mere human." He grinned wildly at her.

She held her defensive position. Lex was trying to pry into Clark's life by getting information from her while she was emotionally vulnerable. "You make me sick." She stated, staring at him. "When are you going to get it through your head that Clark Kent is just a normal Kansas farm boy? I can't believe you'd use a situation like this to push your agenda."

Lex took a step back in surprise. Her words wee hurtful, but he steeled himself. "Chloe, I have known for almost a year about Clark's special gifts. My father thinks he erased my memory, but here's my secret." He leaned up to her ear and whispered. "It didn't work." He smiled at her as she went completely wide eyed.

Chloe was speechless. She wasn't sure what to believe. Lex could still very well be playing with her, but he could also be telling the truth.

He caught her silence as a sign of confusion, so he took another drink a set her worry to rest. "I don't care that he's different Chloe, he's my friend and I accept him for who he is."

Still she was conflicted. He still hadn't given her anything concrete enough to make her believe she could trust him, if the Kent's could trust him.

"Chloe, he ran away because he believes he has put everyone in danger. That's the Clark Kent we both know. There was no way he would stick around if he knew that his secret was compromised. There are those out there that would certainly do anything to get their hands on him."

"Like who?" She asked, slapping her mouth in realization that she had just slipped up. Instead of an expected evil smile from Lex, a genuine look of worry crossed his features.

"My father, for one." He said, taking another drink. "I couldn't imagine the amount of people in Belle Reeve that want to get their hands on him too."

"How did you find out?" She asked meekly, her defenses crumbling down around her as she let sadness overtake her.

"About Clark's secret?" Lex asked. When Chloe nodded, he shrugged in return. "I guess I've always had my suspicions, but I guess when I saw him come into my plane at twenty thousand feet and steal an artifact from me, that kind of sealed the deal." He chuckled to himself at the sight. To this day he was still amazed about what he had seen.

"Why haven't you said anything to him?" Chloe asked, falling into a chair, exhausted.

"I trust Clark; I can understand why he holds things in." He sat down beside her and stared around at the empty waiting room. "I've made my father believe that I don't remember anything from my shock therapy, but that's all a lie."

"And you're lying to us all too." She said in reply.

"Yes, I was, but that's only because I couldn't let my father possibly learn the truth. Much like Clark, I have a many things to lose if the truth were to get out." He took another swallow and stared at her tired eyes.

"What happened at Belle Reeve, how do you know the shock therapy didn't work?" Chloe wiped her tired yes with her right hand.

Lex smiled faintly, the corner of his lips picking up slightly. "Clark tried to break me out, without any regard to exposing his gifts. It was something only a true friend would do. Unfortunately, some of the patients that were also housed there didn't like him very much. They captured him using his only weakness, and then dragged him away as they beat me. I was almost unconscious when I was dragged into the shock room."

She could feel the pain that emanated from his words. There was a sincerity to them that made here feel comfortable. "It must be hard to hide this from him, knowing full well how strange things have been lately."

"It's difficult, but I can take care of myself. A few weeks ago I had seriously gave thought about telling him, but with the whole business with the stones, I forgot about it."

Chloe connected some loose strings in her head while she remembered back to a day earlier, where Martha and Jonathon had told her a little more about their son. They had explained about the stones, only briefly, but it was enough for her to understand one thing. "The stones are meant for Clark." She said in a hurry.

Lex was confused by her words. "What do you mean they're meant for Clark?" He asked, looking into her eyes for meaning.

Chloe took a deep breath. She was more than sure she could now trust him. "From what both Mr. and Mrs. Kent have told me, the stones were left for him to find."

"But why then would a map to the stone be protected by meteor rocks? Clark gets sick just being around them."

"I don't know Lex, but for some reason it's all connected to him." She stopped talking for a second as she realized that Martha would be better able to explain it all. Standing up, she stretched her back and finished her coffee. "Let's go talk to Mrs. Kent. She can best explain everything to you." She waited for Lex to stand before she headed back to the room.

Lex opened the door to the room and let Chloe in first. Closing the door behind himself, he watched as the blond gently shook Martha wake.

"Chloe?" Martha asked, looking up from her lying spot to see a worried expression. "Did you find Clark and Lois?" She asked as second later.

"No." Chloe said, shaking her head.

"I will find them Mr. Kent." Lex said from the door.

Martha's eyes went wide as she saw the young billionaire standing in the shadow of the doorway. She was concerned at his presence, and her sudden outburst of Clark and Lois missing. Lex didn't need to be informed on the matters of their family.

"Mr. Kent?" Chloe asked, squeezing the older woman's shoulder.

"Yes Chloe?" Martha replied, sitting up straight, never letting go of her husband's hand. She looked from Clark's best friend, and over to Lex. Her eyes didn't deflect any notion that she wasn't pleased he was there.

"Lex knows about Clark's powers. He wants to help."

Martha blinked in surprise at her words. "You didn't tell him did you?" She asked, her voice shaking in fright.

Chloe was about to speak, but Lex interrupted her. "No Mrs. Kent, I've known for some time now." He walked towards the two of them slowly.

"Why haven't you done anything?" Martha asked. "You've been researching him all these years and now that you know, you haven't done anything. Why?"

"Why?" Lex asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "Clark is my friend. I will admit that I've used poor judgment in the past when it comes to our friendship, but I've also come to some very real conclusions about him too."

Martha almost smiled. This was the Lex she had always hoped would show. They all knew that within him lied the power to become his father, but it didn't happen.

"I've realized that Clark is the one that has saved me, and I can't help but return the favor. He kept me from slipping over the brink, and he's helped me become a better person. He may have special physical powers that dwarf that of normal men, but he also had the strength of heart to help me emotionally. And no matter how strong he is, there is nothing like the human spirit, and believing in someone." He smiled at both of them. He meant every single word.

Martha smiled brightly. The situation they were in was still grave, but the thought of her son helping someone such as Lex see that light, made her realize just how special her son was. "There is much I have to tell you Lex. I wish Jonathon were awake so we could do this together, but Chloe is a good substitute." She patted the woman's hand that was leaning on her chair. "With that cleared out of the way, let me tell you that Clark is not exactly human."

-

The long bus ride from outside Phoenix to Los Angeles had taken almost eighteen hours. There had been frequent stops, but they were lucky enough that there wasn't more than two or three other people on the bus.

Clark watched the buildings of L.A. roll by as he stared out the window. It was nearing six in the morning, and by the haze that settled over the city, he couldn't tell if the sun was up or not. He had gotten in only a few hours of sleep on the bus, while Lois had fallen asleep at nearly nine the night before. She was still exhausted from the run to Arizona. He felt her stir beside him, and he looked over. The smile that was formed on her lips was the cutest thing he had ever seen. She seemed more than content to have him as her pillow.

Lois wiggled a little more in her seat, her sleep finally coming to an end. She mumbled something incoherent as she slowly opened her eyes. She was greeted by a curt smile of the most beautiful lips she had ever seen.

"Good morning." Clark said.

Lois mumbled back at him as she struggled with the light that was coming in through the window. It was still somewhat dark out, but the lampposts were sending in a flash every second or so. With a few more blinks, she opened her eyes fully, only to notice that they were passing numerous large buildings. "We're here?" She asked.

"Yep." He replied, lifting his arm up and draping it around her. He felt her snuggle into the crook of his arm as he squeezed her tightly.

"So what are we going to do?" She asked him, her hand finding a way to push away some hair that was covering her left eye.

Clark looked back out the window for a moment. "I figured we'd find somewhere to eat breakfast, and then maybe find a hotel to stay at."

"Do we even have enough money to stay at a hotel for a while? I have my credit cards, but I can only use them sparingly." She looked up at the side of his face.

Clark looked back down at her, his cheeks reddening just a little. "I counted the money I stole. I didn't realize that I had actually stolen a lot more than I thought."

"How much?" She asked, getting even tighter up to him for warmth.

"Almost eight grand." He said with a soft voice.

Lois let her eyes widen. She whistled softly at the number. "That's certainly enough keep us at a good hotel for a few days. Then we can maybe find an apartment or something." She closed her eyes as they passed another light.

"You actually want to live with me?" He asked, his small smile returning.

"Well, I can't be living all alone in the big city Smallville."

"What happened to the strong and independent Miss Lane?" he asked with a chuckle.

Lois smiled to herself. "She realized that being alone wasn't as robust as it was made out to be. I think I'd rather have someone around to keep me from going insane."

"I couldn't even imagine what all the silence would do to you." He said, looking down into her hazel-brown eyes. "I'd think you'd make up an imaginary friend to talk to."

She laughed at his poor attempt at a joke. "Too bad I like to talk to the real thing. Those super ears of yours are really going to hurt once I'm around you all the time."

Clark laughed. "Let's also remember, I can just run away whenever I feel like it. If you won't shut up, I can just make sure you have no one to talk to."

"You wouldn't." She scoffed.

"No, you're right, I wouldn't. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to let you do all the talking. I have my own opinions and thoughts too." He wiggled his lips at her.

"Shut up." She hissed, leaning up and capturing his lips in a good morning kiss. After pulling away, she licked her lips. "I think some tic-tacs are in order, Smallville."

Clark just rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm going to have to shove food down your throat for you to stop bugging me, aren't I?"

"Damn straight." She laughed, tapping a finger on his thigh.

The bus slowly came to a stop just inside the city. The high rises were clearly visible in the distance, but for now they were far enough away from the downtown core.

Lois got up out of her seat. She struggled to get her wobbly legs set underneath her as she picked up the bag. "It's been almost two days since I've had a shower. Let's find a hotel and get a room. Maybe just maybe they'll give us a continental breakfast for getting a room so early." She smiled at him and walked towards the front of the bus.

Clark huffed and worked his way out his own seat. Following after her, he thanked the driver for the ride and hopped out onto the bus depot sidewalk. "Smell like California?" He asked mockingly.

"How the hell am I supposed to know what California smells like?" She asked, staring back at him with an annoyed glare.

"I don't know; does it smell like the beach?"

Lois just shook her head in pity. "Smallville, sometimes I could swear you are the weirdest person alive." She grunted as she walked past the bus depot and tried to hail a cab. After a few moments, she finally flagged one down and opened the door to get inside.

Clark followed in after her, his hand finding the seatbelt instantly.

She set the bag in-between the two of them. "The nearest five star hotel please." She said to the driver, who nodded and pulled away from the bus depot.

"Five star?" Clark asked. "We have to watch our money, remember."

Lois shrugged away his warning. "I want a couple of days in luxury before we start looking for a run down apartment with no running water."

Clark's heart sunk a little at her words. He wanted to give her a good place to live, but he also didn't want have to steal money in order to do so. "Tomorrow, I'll look for a job." He said.

"Okay." She said with no hint of emotion in her voice. "Any idea of what kind of job you're going to look for?" Truthfully, she didn't want him to have to work. There were too many things going on with him that she didn't want him burdened with something else. She would have told him exactly that, but she suddenly realized he needed to keep himself busy so that he could keep his kind off the matters that she was constantly thinking about.

"I don't know." Clark replied, scratching his head aimlessly. "Maybe something local, then we'll see what happens once we're settled down a bit."

Lois bit her lip to keep from responding. She almost snapped at his words. The idea of settling down was almost too much to take. The sooner they were back in Smallville the better, but it seemed like Clark had no notions of returning. She thought about bringing it up, but she could see that he was hurting at the moment. The forlorn look in his eyes was all too telling.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, neither one willing to bring up any form of conversation as they both looked out their respective windows. The sun was just beginning to peak up over the horizon as the cab pulled to a stop at a nice ritzy hotel.

Clark stepped out and stood looking at the hotel. The building rose up nearly twenty stories. He was feeling very aware of the money that was stuffed in his pockets. "I don't know Lois, this looks rather expensive." He turned around and gave her hand out of the cab. Surprisingly, she didn't refuse his help. He smiled only a little, and closed the door. He walked up to the passenger door and handed the cabbie a couple twenties. Telling him to keep the change, he turned around to talk to Lois, but she was already walking up the stairs towards the door. He caught up with her as she reached the desk.

The lobby of the hotel looked very expensive with its large chandelier and gold everywhere. He gulped as he stood beside Lois, he was going to regret letting her pick this place. It wasn't seven in the morning yet, so there was no one anywhere in the lobby.

"May I help you?" A blond woman behind the counter asked.

"We'd like a room for about a week." Lois said, smiling.

The woman smiled at the young couple and typed a few things into the computer beside her. "Ah, yes, we have a honeymoon room available for about two hundred a night."

Clark stared at the woman bug eyed. "No honeymoon room." He said in a hurry. His voice almost faltered, but he steadied himself.

Lois didn't act as surprised as she took out her credit card and handed it over to the woman. "The honeymoon room will be fine." She said with a smile. She almost laughed as she saw Clark redden deeply.

The woman swiped the card and handed it back. "We'll charge you half for now, and when you check out, we'll make sure to get the rest from you." She smiled at the two of them. The young man was so red he looked ill, while the brunette was smirking wildly. "Do you need help with your luggage?" She asked cheerfully.

"No thanks." Clark seethed. "We can handle it." His eyes settled on Lois as he glared at her. He yanked the key from the woman's hand without looking. "You're going to pay for that." He warned. Turning away from Lois, he walked towards the elevator.

Lois let out a small laugh as she followed him into the elevator. They had the honeymoon suite, and truth to tell, no matter what had happened in the past few days, she was going to take full advantage of it. She hefted her bag over her shoulder and waited for Clark to push the button for the thirteenth floor. "Smallville." She said with a glare.

"Oh, right." He said, his face going red. He pushed the button and the doors closed.

"God Smallville, can't stop thinking about what you're going to do to me in the heart shaped bed are you?" She smirked at him, feeling his uneasiness come to the forefront.

Clark swallowed heavily, his throat tightening. "I uh-."

"Relax Clarky, gees you're uptight." She laughed at him as she ripped the keys out of his hand and exited the now open elevator.

He smiled to himself as he watched her walk confidently through the hallway. He shook his head slowly and walked after her. She turned and smiled at him with a goofy toothed grin. He couldn't help but smile back as he approached her. "What's with the keys?" He asked, reaching her and taking the bag from her arm. "I thought all these five star hotels used a card system."

Lois shrugged as she slipped the key in and unlocked the door. She pushed it open and stepped inside. Her preconceived notions of pink and red everywhere was instantly thrown out the window by the sight of a regular white hotel room. Her brow furrowed as she kicked off her shoes and wandered around the place. She soon realized just how big the room was. There was a separate kitchen, one massive bathroom with a hot tub style bathtub, and a separate shower. Her eyes took in the splendor as she walked back out and towards another room. Her breath halted as she entered the bedroom. Instead of a heart shaped bead, there was an enormous Victorian style gold and brass bed. White satin curtains hung all around it, while there was a large dresser that adorned the left wall.

Clark walked up behind her and looked around the room. "I didn't know we were getting married." He laughed.

Lois almost fainted, but turned around and looked into his sparkling eyes. "What did you just say?" She seethed.

He could have sworn she was going to hit him, so he put his arms over his face to protect himself. When the strike didn't come, he opened his eyes and peeked between them. Lois was still standing there, but her anger had been replaced by a smirk. "What?" He asked, more than a little frightened.

"You want to marry me?" She asked. She knew she had instantly crossed the line, but she couldn't help herself. If he wanted to toy with her like that, she was going to give back just as well. Her mouth wrinkled into a tight smirk as she watched his eyes bulge to an unbelievable level.

Clark dropped the bag as he groaned. "What am I going to do with you?" He said with resignation. There was no response from her, just that stupid smirk. He grumbled and picked her up over his shoulder. Carrying her over to the bed, he whipped aside the curtains and tossed her in. "I get the shower first." He grinned.

"Oh no you don't." Lois glared at him. It had taken her a second to get over the initial shock of him picking her up like a sack of grain, but she had found her bearings. She went to get up out of the bed, but suddenly he was gone. Grumbling under her breath, she hurried out of the door and towards the bathroom. The sound of water could already be heard as she stood at the closed door. "Come on Smallville, I called it earlier." She whined.

Clark opened the door and got out of the bathroom. "I know, but I just decided to start the shower for you." He smiled and let her walk inside. "Plus, I'm going to use the tub while you're in the shower."

"You're not allowed in here at the same time I am." She said, turning around to face him. "I don't think I can trust you to keep your vision to yourself."

"Fine." He replied, resigning to her statement. "I'll order us some breakfast while you get clean." He smiled at her and closed the door. When the door was closed, he let out a deep sigh. Walking to the phone in the kitchen, he ordered some food. It would be more than ten minutes, so he went into the bedroom and rooted through the large dresser. Spying a pair of fancy pajamas, he changed out of the two day old clothes he was wearing. The pajamas were a little too small, but he managed to get them on over his large frame. The pajama top was another matter. Struggling all he could, he couldn't get the buttons to reach one another. Giving up, he just let it hang open as he carried his clothes to the front door. He'd make sure to give his clothes over to be cleaned. Dropping them into a pile, he heard a soft voice from behind.

"Put these there too." Lois said, dropping her clothes outside the bathroom door as she stood there with a towel wrapped around herself. Her eyes caught the sight of Clark in a ridiculously small red and gold pajama outfit. Her laughter cut through the air as she closed the door and went back inside the bathroom.

Clark smiled to himself as he walked over and picked up her clothes. Dropping them into the pile by the front door, he felt the pajama pants stretch a little too much, ripping at the crotch. "Just great." He fumed, bending his head down to survey the damage. The rip wasn't big, but he knew full well that Lois was going to bug him about it. He could still hear her trailing laughter as he listened to her get into the shower. Shaking his head, he walked to the kitchen. Opening up the small fridge, he found nothing but baking soda and margarine. Slamming the door shut, he put his hands on the counter. His parents would kill him if they knew he was in a honeymoon suite with a woman, and with Lois of all people. Shaking his head, he heard a light knock at the door. His mind struggled with the awkwardness of the situation, and the deep feeling of pain that seemed to be lingering. Pushing away those thoughts, he turned his mind to food, and opened the door.

Her cheery smile turned into a mouth agape as she looked at the beast of a man standing before her. Her eyes trailed up his hard stomach to his face before she could even get out a simple hello. There was a slight flush that turned his face red as he caught her gaping. "Food sir." She managed finally.

Clark's throat tightened as he stepped aside and let her wheel the cart full of food in. "Thanks." He replied, still uneasy about what the gaping the woman was doing. Lois had told him he was a fine specimen to look at, but he would never get used to woman ogling him. At that exact moment, he felt like the whole world was watching him. "I uh, there's some clothes by the door that need to be washed." He struggled with his words as he watched the woman redden too. "We can wash it ourselves if it's too much trouble."

"No." The woman said; her cheeks fully flustered. She went over to the door and picked up the laundry. "Just call if you need anything else." She said, keeping her eyes to the floor as she closed the door behind herself.

He didn't move for almost a minute. He wasn't quite sure if he should be flattered, or violated. Lois would have slapped any man who would have looked at her like that, but then again, Lois was prickly woman. Smiling a second later, he decided to take it as a compliment, and grabbed a plate off the tray. He brought it to the small table in the kitchen and set it down. The aroma of eggs, sausage, and toast filled his nostrils as he turned back to grab the orange juice off the cart. On his way back to the table, he flicked on the coffee machine on the counter. Lois would have killed him if he hadn't.

Sitting down at the table, he scooted his chair closer. With a glass of juice in front of him, he grabbed his fork and dug into the scrambled eggs. Stuffing a few parcels into his mouth, he remembered just how much he was going to miss his mother's morning breakfasts. His appetite lessened the more he thought about home. He had been gone only two days, but already homesickness was settling in. If it wasn't for Lois, he would have been completely miserable. "Hurry up Lois, your food is getting cold." He yelled.

"I'm hurrying." She yelled back, draping her towel around herself. Her hair was in a messy tangle, but she had finally gotten it washed. The water had brought a very refreshing clean to her body. She promised herself she would never go two days without a shower again. She heard Clark yell something back, but she just ignored it. With only a towel wrapped around herself, she walked out of the bathroom and towards the tray of food that was calling to her. Quickly as she could, she lifted the cover and took in the smell. Picking up the plate, she sat down on the other side of the table. "Oh. Coffee." She said, about to get back up.

"I got it." Clark said, his eyes staring right at her. She smiled at him as he got up. "I wouldn't want you to lose the towel if you got up." He shot quickly, striding over to the counter and fishing out a mug from the cupboard. He poured a cup of almost boiling coffee and walked back to the table. Setting the cup in front of her plate, he sat back down.

"Thank you." She said with a grin. "About the towel, are you afraid to look at what's underneath?" She was toying with him again.

"I'm not afraid of what's underneath Lois, I'm just afraid of what I'd do to you if I saw what was underneath." He gave her a sloppy grin as he chewed through a piece of toast.

Lois glared at him. "I told you not yet, but If you play your cards right, you never know." She gave him a small wink, sending a blush up his neck. He is such a boy scout she thought to herself. Biting into some eggs, she moaned at the taste. "These are almost as good as your mothers."

Clark looked at her, his breath and the air around him being sucked out by the admission. His mouth opened to talk, but his throat tightened up at the mention of his parents out loud. As much as he tried to hide the pain, the verbal mention of them was almost too much.

Lois lost her grin as she looked across the table at Clark. His eyes were misting over as he struggled to breathe. She could instantly tell that it was her mentioning of his parents that had him upset. "I'm sorry." She said, her hand stretching out across the small table and grabbing a hold of his. "I'm sorry." A tear almost threatened to fall down her own cheek, his pain almost too much for her to take. In his eyes she could see the hurt, the excruciating pain he felt. At that moment, all she wanted to do was hold him and never let him go.