Clark still couldn't believe his Ma hit someone with her car.

"He checks out physically, just scrapes and bruises…." The Doctor reported, glancing at the beta child in the other room, who was reading some comic, unaware that he was being heavily scrutinised.

Jon nodded in understanding, sighing in relief at the knowledge that the boy would be okay. "Have you managed to contact his parents yet?"

"Other than knowing his name, Ryan claims to have no memory."

Martha seemed a little panicked at this, not wanting to have caused the injury that led to this memory loss, "Are you saying he has amnesia?"

"True amnesia is extremely rare…" The Doctor sighed, "… It's most likely post-traumatic shock. His memory will probably return within 24 to 48 hours."

"What if it doesn't?"

"Martha, Jonathan…." The Doctor shook her head wearily, "… It's unlikely all Ryan's cuts and bruises were caused by the accident."

Martha frowned, "You think he's been abused?"

"… He may not want to remember."

"What will happen to him?"

"We've called Child Services, but they're understaffed and can't come until tomorrow at the earliest. So, the only place for Ryan to stay is at the juvenile cell at the sheriff's station."

Shaking her head, Martha couldn't help but glance back at the small boy, "That's no place for a child."

There was a brief moment of silence, before Clark cautiously spoke up. "Why can't he come home with us?"

"That's a great idea."

"Can we do that?"

The Doctor seemed slightly stunned by the suggestion, eyes darting between the Kents' and Ryan. "I'll have to make some calls, but I don't see why not…. It'd be a big help to us, and I'm sure Ryan would appreciate it."

…

The next morning, Clark could smell pancakes and freshly cooked bacon from his room, prompting him to rush downstairs.

"Hey, Mom. Going all out for the new kid, huh?"

"Actually, Clark, Ryan took care of all this himself."

Well… that was a shock.

Giving Ryan a teasing glare, he took a seat and started shovelling pancakes onto his plate, "You're making me look bad."

Ryan, thankfully, understood that he was teasing, beaming at Clark. "What do you want for breakfast?"

When Clark yawned, unable to answer, Ryan's face fell. "Don't you want anything, Clark?"

"…. I'm just gonna have some pancakes."

There was something about Ryan which made Clark curious…but he didn't say anything. It was probably nothing.

"Ryan, you okay?" Martha asked in concern as Ryan continued to stare at Clark, a confused look on his face.

No answer.

"Ryan, are you sure you don't remember anything about last night?" Jon asked, clearly trying to change the subject, "You see, because I still can't figure out why you were out on Route 90 at 10:00 at night."

"I said I don't remember."

Everyone was a little stunned as Ryan snapped at them, falling into silence until the boy pushed himself away from the table and scowled.

"I'm not hiding anything!"

They all watched him storm upstairs, with Clark frowning as he went.

"No one said you were, buddy."

A couple of hours later, when Clark had finally dug out the basketball that had rolled under his bed once upon a time, he went to find Ryan… alright he stood in one spot and used his x-ray vision, but he did find him sitting outside on the tractor.

As he headed over, Ryan kept his eyes on his comic. "Guess your parents want me to leave now."

"… Why would you think that?"

"Because they don't believe me."

Clark winced at this, "We just want to help you get home Ryan."

"What if I don't have a home? What if you found out I did bad things? What would happen?"

Sensing that beta was seconds away from having a complete heart attack, Clark placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Ryan, everything's gonna work out…. I know it." At the tense silence, Clark gestured at the comic that Ryan was reading, "You like comics?"

"I like this one."

Holding up the cover, Clark stared at it for a few moments. "Warrior Angel… Why him?"

"… Because he protects people who can't protect themselves." Ryan read a few more panels of the comic, before turning and smiling at Clark, "I like being around you, Clark…. It's peaceful."

Strange words… but Clark didn't dwell on them too much.

"Why don't you get your head out of that comic and play a little ball?" he asked, bouncing the old basketball a few times as he casually made his way over to the hoop, easily dunking the ball through it as Ryan made his way over.

Handing the ball over to Ryan, he watched at the beta just threw it blindly, the ball bumping off the wall and back down to the ground.

"I know what you're thinking…" the kid sighed, "… I really suck."

"Nothing a little practice can't cure."

Picking the ball up, he handed it back to Ryan, giving him some pointers on how to throw the ball. "Go ahead… Get your hand up, keep your elbows straight just guide the ball with your fingers."

Ryan hesitated, before throwing it, whooping when the ball fell through the hoop.

"He shoots, and he scores!" Clark cheered along with him.

From a distance, Martha watched the pair play from a distance.

"That's a great sound, isn't it?"

Slowly, she turned to Jon and smiled gently at him, allowing herself to be wrapped in his arms. "Yeah, it is…" She answered, "… Do you ever think we made the wrong decision, not adopting another child? Maybe sharing his secret with a younger brother would have helped? He seems to really like Ryan."

"I don't think he's the only one…. You've always had a soft spot for strays."

"Well, the last one turned out all right."

…

Lex didn't even flinch as the doors to his study flung open, with Mercy growling that his Father was there, seconds before the man strode into the room.

"I thought you were still in Monaco." Lex stated, keeping his eyes on his paperwork, keeping his hand on it in order to prevent his Father from just taking it.

"'The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy'"

Lex had to resist the urge to groan… he wasn't entirely sure he managed it. "Von Clausevitz, On War … Isn't that a little '80s, Dad, even for you?"

"I never give my plant managers a heads-up before a spot inspection."

Ah… he knew there had to be some reason his Father was here. Getting to his feet and taking his paperwork with him, Lex rolled his eyes. "What could you possibly have to complain about now? The plant's doing well, LuthorCorp stock is up- "

"- I'm not here to complain, Lex." Lionel sounded amused by the whole situation, "On the contrary. Your performance lately has been… more than adequate."

Keeping his back to his Father, not wanting the older man to see how pleased he was by the statement. "That sounds dangerously like a compliment."

"I push you, Lex, I don't deny it. Greatness is a rarefied air one has to be taught to breathe…. Philip of Macedonia raised his son among lions to instil fearlessness in him."

"… Didn't he also try to impale the kid with a spear?"

"In an aborted coup attempt, but history remembers that boy as Alexander the Great!"

Moving away from his Father, Lex desperately tried to remain calm and collected… there was always an ulterior motive behind the Alpha's actions. "You didn't come all this way to lecture me on Greek history again."

"No. I want you to come back to Metropolis… where you will hold the position 'special advisor to the chairman emeritus'… That would be me."

Remain calm Lex…don't lose control.

"…. At least the title sounds important."

"It's more than a title, it's an opportunity. It's what you've been waiting for ever since you came to Smallville."

Lex remained completely still… he had been waiting to hear those words for months, or at least, he had for the first few weeks.

But things were different now.

He had Clark now… sort of.

"I'll think about it…." He eventually answered, trying to appear nonchalant.

"…. You want to keep me dangling, so it looks like you're granting me a favour instead of receiving one?" Lionel smirked, "We don't need to play games, son."

"Dad, games are all we've got."

…..

After a very confusing conversation regarding Chloe and her 'feelings' for him (nonsense… Chloe knew he was interested in Lex… right?) with Ryan, having the girl take his picture in order to help him find his family, Clark took Ryan to the new Talon.

"So how does it feel having a little-brother-type figure in your life?" Lana asked him as she served coffee, having recently recovered from the Nicodemus flower.

"… It's pretty cool."

"I dreamed of having a brother or sister someone to talk to, help fill the silence."

"Someone you can totally trust and would always be there for you?"

She beamed up at him, "That's just how I see you, Clark."

"… Thanks."

Meanwhile, Lex was making his way into the Talon, invited there by Clark who seemed eager to introduce the omega to Ryan.

"Warrior Angel…." The omega nodded in approval as he headed over to the only table, that had a young boy sitting at it, "… I'm a fan myself. You must be Ryan, I'm- "

"- Lex Luthor." Ryan interrupted, twisting around and beaming at the omega, "Clark told me all about you…. In fact, I don't think we've gone through an entire conversation without him mentioning you."

Lex tried not to think about the fact that his cheeks were getting a little warm, turning his attention back to the comic. "You know, I have one of the- "

"- First-edition panels framed in your house."

"… How did you know that?"

"You're rich…. That's what rich people do, collect stuff."

Well… he wasn't wrong.

"Hey Lex!" Clark raced over a beaming grin on his face, "I see you've met Ryan!"

"Yeah, apparently, we're both big Warrior Angel fans."

Clark tilted his head to the side, "I didn't know you liked comic books."

"A strange visitor from another planet who protects the weak? When I was young, he was my idol, not to mention he's bald…. I have the whole collection."

"Yeah, maybe we'll come by later and check it out?"

Lex nodded, trying not to appear too eager as Clark turned to Ryan, "Would you like that, buddy?"

"… Yeah, whatever"

It was more than a little dismissive, but Lex chuckled anymore, rolling his eyes at Clark before heading over to the counter to grab a cookie or something.

Back at the table, Clark gave Ryan a scolding look. "That was kind of rude… Lex is my friend. I really like him you know."

"I know… but he's going to leave. Lex's father offered him a new job."

Clark couldn't help but scoff slightly at this, "You don't know Lex's father…. He would never do that. You have to stop making up stories about people…. I'll see you in a minute, okay?"

He rushed out to catch up with Lex, only to frown when the man was nowhere to be found, seemingly having disappeared into thin air. His concerns only deepened when he headed back into the coffee shop, only to see that Ryan had disappeared as well.

"Ryan?"

"Ryan just took off out the back!" Lana raced over to him, "He looked scared, Clark."

As he raced out of the back doors, he called out for Ryan again, not even really paying attention to the man who was walking further down the alleyway.

"Ryan?"

"Help! Help! Help!"

The cries of fear and alarm seemed to be coming from a nearby trash compactor. Using his X-ray vision, he gasped when he saw a figure struggling against the metal walls that were closing in on him.

Rushing over, he tore a largish hole in the thick metal, peering into the compactor and sighing in relief when he spotted an unharmed Ryan.

"You're safe now." He whispered, "You're safe now."

…

Later that night, as Clark was working on something in the barn, Lex wandered in.

"Hey Clark, where's your young sidekick?"

Clark chuckled at the description, "Sleeping."

"… He thinks you're his big brother."

"Yeah, well, I guess I am, till tomorrow."

Lex frowned at the slightly upset tone in Clark's voice, "The kid is growing on you?"

"…. You know how it is. Being an only child, no one else around…. is that how you felt before your… sister was born?"

Slightly warmed by the fact that the Alpha had remembered something he'd only mentioned in passing almost a year ago, Lex sighed. "I was an only child for eleven years… I can still remember when my Mother got pregnant again… It was a total surprise." A small smile appeared on his face, "I've never seen my Father happier… especially when it turned out to be the Alpha he hoped for."

"An Alpha girl?"

Lex nodded sadly, "Lena… she was the only one who could really challenge me in chess, apart from our Father of course."

"… What happened?"

"Lena started to challenge Father… when he would start making life difficult for me, she would start growling at him, shouting at him, telling him to leave me alone. She was only about seven, but Father knew it would only get worse as she got older…. And Mother knew this as well, so she packed her and Lena's bags, and left." Lex sighed, "Father got even more distant after that…. He'd lost his perfect heir, the child he could truly love."

Clark felt his heart ache at the downtrodden tone in Lex's voice… his sister would almost be a teenager now. "I'm sorry."

Shaking his head, Lex sighed, "It's in the past, Clark…. We would have ended up hating each other, anyway. My father would have seen to that."

There was a moment of tense silence, before Lex straightened up and forced a smile on his face, "But I didn't come over to recount my family's tragic history…. I-I need to tell you something…. My father has offered me a chance to return to Metropolis."

It was then that Clark remembered Ryans comments in the café. "… Did you tell Ryan about that?"

"I haven't told anyone Clark."

Lex looked slightly distressed by everything that was going on, prompting Clark to smile warmly at him (no matter how he felt), "Well…. You did always want that."

"I used to think it was…." The omega shrugged, "… Now I'm not so sure. I was a different person there, a different person around my father." He then sighed wearily, "He wants an answer tomorrow night…. We're having dinner in Metropolis."

"If anyone can choose who they want to be, Lex it's you."

Lex actually looked a little disappointed by the answer… as though he was expecting a very different response.

…..

After finding Ryan's backpack near the area where Martha had hit him, and an extremely awkward conversation with Chloe (who apparently did want him to ask her to the prom… and did have her eye on a pink dress), Clark headed back to the farm, only to realise that the cellar door was wide open.

As he walked down the stairs, he sighed in relief when he noticed that the alien ship that he came here in…. only to spin around and see Ryan standing behind him.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Clark, don't be mad- "

"- How'd you know about this?"

"I heard about it in your mom's mind…."

Ah. That explained a lot.

"… I wanted to see it for myself."

As Ryan walked over to the ship, running his fingers over it, Clark felt like every muscle in his body was tense, like he was ready to run. "Can you hear everything people think?"

"… Only what's on the surface, what they're thinking at that moment… Except for you, I can't read your mind. That's how I knew you were different…. Now I know why."

Ryan looked so pleased with himself… but Clark felt sick.

"… I can't believe you'd do this."

"I'll never tell! You keep my secret, I'll keep yours!"

"It's not that simple."

"Sure it is…. I know your dad's worried that people are going to find out, I can tell him when someone's getting close! I told you about Chloe… I can tell you about Lana, you want to know her secret?"

"No! No, Ryan, I don't!"

"… Why not? It's about you."

The kid clearly didn't understand.

"Look, you can't do this!"

"… You don't understand what it's like to be different. What it's like to have to hide so people won't think you're a freak…. Everywhere I go I hear people's thoughts. I can't block it out anymore."

Slowly, Clark took the photo, that he'd found in Ryan's backpack, out of this pocket, gesturing to the woman in front in it. "Is this your mother?"

Ryan nodded, tears building up in his eyes, "…. She died."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was hoping I could start over with your family! They were so nice, I wanted them to adopt me like they did you… So I'd be safe."

"…. Who's chasing you?"

"My stepfather and his new wife…. They've been using me, my abilities, to steal. I wanted to stop but they threatened me…. They hit me." Tear-filled eyes met Clarks' as Ryan went in for a hug, "You have to protect me, Clark…. You're the only one that can."

But less than a few hours later, Ryan was gone… and without even saying goodbye.

With his Pa a little despondent and his Ma hiding away, Clark was quite happy to see to the limo coming up the drive…. Until he saw the finely tailored suit Lex was wearing, and the slightly regretful look on his face.

"On your way to Metropolis?" he asked, trying to remain calm as Lex strode over to him.

"Yeah, for the big dinner…" The omega shuffled nervously from side to side, "I- I wanted you to have something."

As Clark caught the long, thin object, he frowned in confusion. "A sword?"

"…. It's a foil. Every hero should have one."

Swinging the foil around, before sheathing it again, Clark quickly realised what was going on… at Least Lex bothered to say goodbye. "I guess this means you've decided you're leaving?"

Lex shrugged, "I haven't made up my mind one way or the other."

"If you haven't made up your mind, why are you giving me a going-away present?"

"…. Keep that away from the kid."

"He's already gone."

Lex sighed wearily, "I'm sorry…. I know how much you liked him."

"Yeah… well for what it's worth, I hope you stay."

Staring at Clark for a few seconds, Lex tilted his head to the side. "Are you going to give me a reason to?"

And Clark wanted to… he wanted to just lean in and kiss those lips like he'd been dying to for months.

But he didn't move… he couldn't.

As if sensing the inner turmoil, Lex gave him a sad smile. "I'll see you again Clark, I promise."

And then, he was climbing back into his car and the driver was pulling away.

"God dammit…" Clark cursed under his breath, fingers running through his hair and tightening, "… dammit!"

….

Lex quickly realised that something was wrong… even lost in his thoughts about Clark, he felt the vehicle stopping long before they arrived in Metropolis.

"Driver? Hey, what's going on? Driver?"

The driver didn't respond as the passenger door opened up and a woman shoved Ryan inside, a sneer on her face as the driver climbed in Ryan, gun trained on Lex.

"Mr. Luthor." The man greeted, a sly smirk on his face as the woman clambered into the drivers seat.

But all Lex could focus on, was the scared look on Ryan's face. "Ryan?"

"Shut up!" the man ordered, striking Lex in the chest with the butt of the gun, forcing all of the air out of his body in one blow. As he focused on getting his breath back, the man ordered to woman to start driving.

"Getting the account number to your trust fund was easy…" The man chuckled, "… now give me the password."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Tell me what it is!"

"M-My father has it, I don't!"

Silently, the man glanced over to Ryan who visibly went pale at the look. A few tense seconds passed as Ryan glanced over at Lex, before sighing wearily. "He's lying."

The man sneered, aiming the gun at Lex's forehead, before asking the question again. "Password. Now."

Silence.

The man didn't seem worried by that however, glancing over at Ryan. "You got it?"

Ryan nodded.

…..

Clark felt like cursing when Chloe's research into Ryan's family uncovered a photo… a photo of the driver of Lex's limo.

It could only mean one thing.

Lex was in trouble.

As he raced off in the direction that the limo was likely to have gone, he quickly spotted a familiar figure huddled on the ground,

"Lex! Lex!"

Falling to his knees beside the omega, Clark gently helped him into a seated position, "Lex, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I think so."

"…. Did they throw you out of the car?!"

When Lex nodded, Clark felt a surge of anger rise up.

How dare they…. How dare they do this to his omega!

"Which way did they go?" he asked, his voice stern and serious in a way that made Lex straighten up instinctively.

"Straight down Route 90…. Clark, they've got Ryan."

"Your arm- "

"- I'll be fine! You need to help him!"

Clark nodded, making sure that Lex was going to call an ambulance, before racing off in the direction that Lex stated.

By the time he found the limo, he also found two dead bodies. A worker at the bowling alley and a woman, probably the new wife of the Step-Dad, both shot.

Ryan was in serious trouble.

He raced into the building, scanning the area for any sign of Ryan or his step-father.

And then he heard the gun cock.

Using his x-ray vision, he gasped at the sight of a man holding a gun at a familiar looking figure. Quickly, he grabbed a bowling ball, carefully aiming it at the larger skeleton before throwing it, watching as his strength caused it to smash through the walls, before it hit the step-father, sending him flying back against the wall, knocking him out immediately.

Clark then rushed around to check on Ryan, who was very relieved to see him.

"Clark!"

"It's okay, buddy…." Clark knelt down, and smiled at him, "… You're safe now."

…..

"Shouldn't you be packing?"

Lex didn't even glance over at his Father as he walked into the study, trying to ignore the ache in his arm. A bad bruise and nothing more, but it still ached.

"I'm not going back to Metropolis…" he stated, very matter-of-factly as his Father chuckled.

"Come on, Lex, that's all you wanted ever since I assigned you to what you so eloquently refer to as the 'crap factory.'"

It was Lex's turn to smirk, as he pushed his way past the Alpha, "I know why you want me back…. I'm driving you crazy, aren't I? I'm not clubbing till 6:00 am, not getting arrested. I'm on track and that's what scares you…. You want me back where you can keep an eye on me. Where you can manipulate me until the perfect Alpha comes along, and you can then marry me off. You have no control over my friends out here."

"… You're making a mistake, Lex."

But Lex knew he wasn't. "You know what those emperors you're so fond of talking about were really afraid of? That their sons would become successful and return to Rome at the head of their own army."

"You think you can find your future in Smallville…." Lionel shook his head, "… I'm your future. Join me, Lex, join me in Metropolis. How long have you been waiting to hear me say those words?"

"… I've waited to hear other things from you for a lot longer."

He was waiting for someone else to say the same words now, and he wasn't going to run away to Metropolis before he heard them.

"I'll return to Metropolis when I'm ready." He stated, straightening up as his Father smirked at him.

"At the head of an army?"

…

"We're really going to miss you, Ryan…." Martha beamed at the young man, gently handing a bag over to him, "… It gets cold in Edge City, so I packed some of Clark's old jackets something for you to grow into."

"Thanks, Mrs. Kent."

Jon was smiling as well, "You're welcome around here any time you want."

There was a tense silence, before Ryan tilted his head to the side, "I know what you're worried about, but don't be…. I'll keep Clark's secret. I know what it's like to have to hide who you are from the world."

Before Martha and Jon could say anything, a car pulled into the driveway.

"There she is." Martha stated, referring to the Aunt that Social Services had found for Ryan, as she and Jon moved to meet the woman.

Left alone with Ryan, Clark turned to him. "You sure you're gonna be all right?"

"…. She's a nice person. She's just as nervous as I am." Ryan then frowned slightly, "Are you sure you don't want to know how Lana feels about you?"

Clark couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head, "It doesn't matter… someday, she'll tell me herself."

"… What about Lex's feelings?"

Clark hesitated, and a small smile appeared on Ryan's face.

"He really likes you… he has a few issues, but he wants to be better… because of you."

Clark knew he was flushing slightly, but he was pleased at the statement, "I've seen how good he can be."

Nodding in agreement, Ryan paused for a moment before handing his comics over to Clark. "I want you to have these."

"… I can't take those."

"I don't need them anymore…." Ryan beamed at him, "… I have you." Glancing over at his Aunt, who really was looking nervous, Ryan gave Clark a quick hug, before backing away and waving at him again.

"See you around Clark."