An Invisible Caress or Death

Disclaimer: I wish, I wish, I wish oh how I wish, but no matter what Smallville and its characters are not mine. I only play with them, torment Clark, and then send em all back home. SIGH.

CHAPTER 10 Clark Kent Collection is it now complete?

An Hour Earlier...

Lois ran from her apartment pulling her jacket on and nearly twisting her ankle as she wrenched her shoe on. Dropping everything in the car, she took a deep breath and picked up her travel mug filled with steaming hot coffee. Feeling a little saner, she pulled out onto the nearly empty road and flipped her CD player on.

The soft rock melodies filled the air, and stopped her from thinking too much. She knew that was one of her downfalls, she thinks too much and not do anything.

'So Clark where did you speed off to this time?' she spoke aloud, talking to an imaginary Clark sitting next to her. 'Oh I see, can't tell me huh? Gee why does that sound so familiar?'

The ringing of her cell phone broke into the one-sided conversation, cursing softly she pulled onto the side of the road and rummaged through her bag until she found the ringing phone.

'This better be good.' She snapped as she opened the phone. 'Oh hi Mrs Kent.'

'Hello Lois, I just wanted to let you know that Clark is on his way to see Chloe at the hospital.'

'Smallville's back?' she gasped sputtering her coffee over the front of her car.

'Yes, he's back Lois ... are you alright?'

'Fine, fine thanks Mrs K. I'm on my way to talk to Chloe's doctors so I'll probably run into him there.'

'How is Chloe doing Lois?'

'Actually her test results have shown some signs of improvement.' Lois said with a touch of pride in her voice, 'nothing will keep Chlo' down for long.'

'That is true, give her my love Lois.'

'I will Mrs Kent; I'll talk to you soon.' Lois snapped her phone shut and rested her head against the headrest for a moment to gather her scattered thoughts. Clark was home, he was really home.

Speeding the rest of the way to the hospital Lois managed to avoid any speeding tickets as she came to a stop at the last set of red lights, impatiently she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel and took a cursory glance around the area, trying to find a car park. She stared at the van parked on the side of the road for a moment longer than normal; sure, that she knew the driver from somewhere. As the lights changed to green Lois caught sight of a car reversing from a park near the entrance to the hospital. Smiling at her sudden good fortune Lois cut off two cars to make sure that the parking space had her 'name' on it.

Straightening her short skirt and flicking back her hair, Lois got out of the car and double checked herself in a small mirror but also at the sametime checking out the occupants of the van. They seemed to be watching for someone to come out of the hospital. Frowning she let her curiosity get the better of her and her gaze ran along the cars until she saw a very familiar licence plate. 'LEX 1' but before she could do anything about it a familiar form strode out of the hospital with a sad, almost dejected look on his face.

Smiling sweetly Lois started to walk towards him when her ankle gave way as the heel on her shoe caught in a grid and snapped. Wincing with pain she tried to get Clark's attention but it was too late, two men attacked him, one holding something green and shining, the next thing she knew Clark collapsed and the two men bundled him into the back of the van and took off.

'Clark!' Lois called repeatedly but to no avail whoever had him made sure that he couldn't fight back. Someone went to a lot of trouble to kidnap Clark Kent, someone who also knew that he was back and would have gone straight to see Chloe.

Without realising it she pulled out her cell phone and rang 911, her heart pounded against her chest and her breathing came in rapid gasps, as the pain from her ankle wrapped its tendrils around her leg moving its way up. 'Yeah police please I want to report a kidnapping.' Lois managed to get out as she felt her knees buckle and she fell to the ground, her ankle swelling and throbbing, dropping her cell phone in the process.

The next hour blurred for Lois as she was helped into the hospital, had her ankle x-rayed, plastered and given crutches all the time answering questions about what she saw and about Clark and Chloe. The only thing she neglected to tell them was about Lex's presence. That she had to find out for herself.

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'Oh come on Clark time to wake up and smell the air freshener.' Lex smirked as he kicked Clark's side again finally eliciting a moaned response. 'You are no fun sometimes Clark you know that.'

'L-Lex?' Clark slurred trying to open his eyes enough to look up at his captor. His body ached interminably and all he wanted to do was to crawl into bed and sleep for a year.

'Come on Clark up and at 'em.' Lex kicked him again, this time he didn't hold back and the force pushed Clark over onto his back.

'L-leave me lone.' Clark pushed himself away from Lex and tried to pull himself up to a sitting position, his body ached down to the bones, his side already bruising from the rapid fire kicks from Lex. 'Why?'

'I need you out of my way Clark, you don't get it do you.' Lex hissed, 'no matter what I want or do you're there to mess everything up. I don't want you to get in my way this time and this includes with Lana.'

'Why? You have corrupted Lana; she's not the same person anymore.'

'Hmm interesting Clark but not enough for me to feel anything remotely like pity.' Lex stepped closer to Clark and crouched down until his was eye level. 'You know all I ever wanted was you to be my friend.'

'Friends don't try to kill each other and they don't kidnap each other either.' Clark whispered, 'Lex please you can stop if you want to.'

'Stop? Why should I stop now when I have everything I have ever wanted at my fingertips.' Lex smiled running a finger suggestively down Clark's cheek, 'you know this doesn't have to be hard Clark, you choose.'

'Let me go Lex.' Clark hissed, 'Chloe needs me.'

'Chloe! I saved the world from that nosey little bitch.' Lex's smile widened, 'ah yes for a while we can have a rest from her relentless pursuits.'

'What have you done Lex?' Clark asked squinting up at Lex; he stared at his former best friend, 'what happened to you?'

'Nothing happened to me Clark, this is who I am, and this is who everyone expected me to be.'

'I didn't Lex.' Clark said simply turning his head away he focused his attention on a crack on the wall just beyond his cage.

'Don't ignore me Clark ... don't be like everyone else.' Lex snapped 'look at me Clark.' He said his voice lower more controlled. Clark turned glittering green eyes back to Lex, a small sad smile playing on his lips. 'Lex I never wanted to ignore you, I never wanted to fight you. All I wanted was to be your friend, to see the good that no one else could see. But, but now you're ... actually I don't know what or who you are anymore.'

'I am still the same Lex Luthor you met all of those years ago, just now I have taken away your blinders and you can see the real me.' Lex replied a bitter laugh escaped his lips, 'I tried to be good Clark, and where did it get me? At least now, now I can be who I want and my detractors now cower at my feet.'

'I am sorry Lex, I am sorry for you.'

'Don't pity me Clark don't you dare, I am the one who has Lana, I am the one who has anything money can buy, and I am the one...'

'Who is so lonely he has to resort to kidnapping his best friend and torturing him.' Clark interrupted Lex's building tirade. 'I'm tired Lex, I feel sick and I hurt please just leave me alone.'

Lex's mouth open and closed a couple of times before he stormed out of the cage spinning around he glared at Clark, 'get comfortable Clark; this is where you're going to stay for the remainder of your life.'

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Lois sat by Chloe's bedside and stared miserably at her cousin, lying so still, the machines around her the only noise producers. It wasn't natural to see Chloe lying so quietly, she should be up bouncy around on her umpteenth caffeine high, not looking like a fragile porcelain doll.

'Gee Chlo' I really wish you were awake and talking, I need you Cuz.' Lois mumbled as she tried to scratch under her new cast. 'damn thing.'

A garbled groan fell from colourless lips, when Lois looked up in shock she couldn't see any movement and almost considered it a hallucination just adding to the list of issues she was fast amassing when she saw Chloe blink and try to open her eyes.

'Oh my God Chloe!' Lois cried out happily, grabbing the call button she kept her thumb pressed on it as she watched her cousin fight to return to full consciousness.

'What is the meaning of pressing non-stop?' A harried looking nurse exploded as she ran into the room.

'She's waking up.' Lois looked up and smiled sweetly, 'Chloe's waking up.'

'Right, right okay I'll ah go and get the Doctor.'

'You do that Sweety, I'm gonna stay right here with my cousin.'

Though ten minutes later Lois was shushed out of Chloe's room and directed to the waiting area while the doctors examined her and removed the respirator tubes. Sighing dramatically Lois managed to hop towards a hard and uncomfortable looking plastic chair and lower herself down without falling over, a small victory in her mind. 'Lois?' a familiar and calm voice came from the entrance way looking up Lois saw Martha Kent standing in front of her.

'Oh Mrs Kent, hey come and sit down you look like you're about to fall down.'

'How's Chloe?'

'She's starting to wake up, but they won't let me in there while they examine her and stuff, how bout you Mrs Kent, how you doing?'

'I honestly don't know Lois, I don't know how much more I can take.' Martha said softly swiping her eyes with already sodden tissues. 'The police are trying but they have no new leads, all of the witnesses that have come forward all said the same as you.'

'I really wish I could do more Mrs K. I really do.'

'I know Sweetheart, but first we get your cousin up and going and then we find my son and bring him home.'

'Sounds like a plan to me, I tried to contact Jimmy but he's still away working I'll try again later.'

'At least she has you Lois, not even Lana is around anymore, everything has changed so much.'

'I know but hey Mrs Kent, Clark always manages to bounce back and Chloe well just watch her fly out of that bed as soon as the doctors say so if not sooner.'

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Lana slipped out of the car and strode towards the mansion, her heart thumped hard against her chest as she thought of seeing Lex again, so soon after her own little faux pas. 'Lex? You home?' she called out, her silky voice filling the silent mansion. Frowning she dropped her bags and coat on the sofa and went straight to Lex's desk, unable to see any indication of where he might be, she picked up the small remote and chewed her lip in contemplation.

Deciding it was worth the risk she flicked the top button on the remote and watched the screens appear replacing the book case. Most of the security cameras showed nothing out of the ordinary, her curiosity waning Lana went to turn them off when movement on one of them caught her eye.

Lex stood with his back to the camera, it looked like he was yelling at someone, Lana moved closer to the screen, making out the bars of a cage. A cage?

Finally, Lex moved away and out of the room, giving Lana just enough time to see who the poor unfortunate recipient of her husband's ire was. 'Clark!' Lana breathed in shock, as she watched her former lover and friend slouched against the bars of the cage, he looked so ill again.

Hearing a door slam not far away Lana managed to shut down the surveillance monitors, replace the remote on the desk and go back to her bags and coat just as Lex strode into the room through the main double doors.

'Lana? I thought that you were still in Paris.'

'Surprise!' Lana planted a sexy smile on her face, 'I hated being in the city of love and not having the man of my dreams with me.'

'Oh?'

'No one should be allowed to be alone in Paris Darling.'

'Hmm but I see you brought the shops out?'

'Yes but I do think that you will approve of my purchases.' Lana winked suggestively as she picked up some lingerie bags and strutted towards the door. 'You can have a personal fashion show if you want.'

'Oh I want.' Lex grinned lasciviously as he hurried behind her, thoughts of torturing Clark squashed down for now, there will always be tomorrow.

TBC