Name: Mercury (reviews written as april' I just set up my new account)
Authors E-mail: apriljack2@aol.com
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. The WB and the ink bottle guys do. (But if I did my more devious plot bunnies would come true and Smallville would be a much more interesting place.)
Pairings: Mostly focusing on Lex's father issues and his and Clark's friendship. Slah will ensue later on.
Spoilers: None, but you must be versed in the premise of Smallville.
Archive: Fanfiction.net; anywhere else e-mail and ask me first so I know where to find it.
Thank-you: Everybody that writes fanfic for Smallville.
MitchPell: Good to have you aboard for this fic too. I hope you like the next chapter!
J.D.: Thank's for the encouragement and for following me to this story. I really appreciate your reviews. They make me laugh smile and glow with the fact that someone out there doesn't think that my stories suck.
Feedback: Always appreciated. But in all actuality I'm addicted to it. I crave it. Even if it's a one liner acknowledging that you read it any feedback would be accepted with open arms. Just to let you know I prefer rotten vegetables to people chasing me down with pitchforks. Thanks
Weird Side Note: All the reporters on my local news channel have three letter names. Do they think that we're that simple?
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Part III: The Proving Ground
The ride back to the Lex's lonely castle was comparatively the same as their ride out to the middle of nowhere; except for the addition of their extra passenger. Clark had been expecting many things to be the matter with Lionel when they came to get him, but he had not prepared to find him in a total state of abandon. Clark had problems picturing Lionel as weak and feeble as he was even when he was lying right next to him. It came to rest with fates sense of humor that the all the money and power Lionel and his forefathers had sold their souls to stock pile had been no help to him when he needed help the most.
Even under the heap of blankets Clark had draped over him Lionel shuddered and shivered unable to find warmth. Clark gingerly stretched out a hand and brushed his fingertips across the elder Luthor's forehead; not wanting to interrupt his much needed sleep. Lionel's skin was like the sand of a beach that had spent all eternity in the glaring sun it's heat burned even Clark's heat resistant fingertips. He's going to spontaneously combust if we don't give him something to lower his fever now!
Lionel's sleeping form took comfort in Clark's careful touch and moved towards the cool caress causing Lionel to roll onto his back once more. Clark moved his hand away and took the opportunity to x-ray the ailing Luthor's body. There was obvious fracturing of many bones in his body but luckily not his skull, but Clark's real concern was the fluid that was building up in Lionel's lungs coupled with the sounds he made as he breathed it did not look like the best situation from anyone's point of view.
Clark rapped on the small window separating him from Lex and the cab of the truck. Lex slowed to a stop at the side of the road to let the nonexistent traffic by, and then turned and opened the window to talk to Clark.
"What is it Clark?" Where Clark's voice would have been full of concern had he been in Lex's situation the tone Lex used was cold and business just like he was relaying Luthor Corps. latest stock price.
"Give me the Tylenol out of the glove compartment. We need to lower your fathers temperature or I don't think he's going to last much longer." Clark's voice made up for all the concern that Lex's voice had omitted. But Clark could not keep the an edge of judgment from entering his voice. How can Lex be so cold? His father is dying and he acts like I'm inconveniencing him by making him get the stupid medication.
Lex's face contorted into something that resembled shame as he pulled out the Tylenol bottle from the glove compartment and handed it to Clark. I can't do this; I can't care like you do Clark. Can you not see that. I'm thrown so off kilter by this entire situation. Just please don't turn your back on me; I can't deal with this without you.
The anger that flooded Clark's features prior to seeing Lex's face disappeared immediately upon doing so. It was replaced by a look of confident reassurance that Lex took great comfort in.
"Thank-you; wait a second before we start moving again so I can give this to him," Clark said.
Lex closed the window but remained peering at them through the glass. Clark shook Lionel's shoulder as gently as he could making sure to chose the one that was not broken. Lionel let out a small groan as his eyes flickered open and focused on Clark. He looked at him expectantly as if Clark was going to pull out some magic wand and make all the pain go away.
"You have a very high fever Mr. Luthor," Clark spoke in a very soft and slow as if he was talking to a small child, "I need to give you some medication to reduce it. Okay?"
Lionel first attempted to say yes' but ended up settling for nodding his head at Clark. Clark reached behind himself and pulled out a small water bottle and placed it beside himself. He opened the Tylenol bottle and poured out four pills. He carefully put his arm behind Lionel's back treating him like a priceless porcelain doll. He lifted up the elder Luthor and rested his upper body against his own. As Clark unscrewed the top to the water bottle Lionel remained staring at him; it was beginning to creep Clark out. It's like he expects me to save him. Clark moved the pills towards Lionel's mouth and he opened it obediently; Clark threw all the pills in and moved the water bottle to Lionel's partially parted lips and carefully poured some in. Being wary not to drown the Luthor in Dasani. Clark pulled the bottle away when he was done and began to screw the cap back on when he heard a noise come from Lionel. It was a small growling noise and apparently the only one he could manage. Clark turned to him; Lionel was no longer staring at Clark's face he was staring at the bottle. Clark held it up and Lionel growled again.
Clark finally getting the point said, "Do you want more water?"
Lionel grunted and nodded in reply. Clark brought the bottle up to Lionel's lips once more and didn't put it down again until it was three quarters of the way empty.
"Better now?" Clark asked.
Lionel took up where he had left off staring at Clark and gave him a contented look. After Clark had laid Lionel back down and covered him up again he turned to signal Lex to move on. As he turned Clark could feel Lionel's eyes on him. The older man's gaze was like a blazing forest fire burning into his back begging to be put out. Lionel continued to stare until he drifted into an uneasy sleep once more.
Clark completed the rest of the journey staring at the endless fields surrounding him. He listened to the world around him, all he could hear even with his enhanced capabilities was the labored breathing of Lionel and the truck as it rolled along. The rest of the world was eerily silent and shrouded in mist. It was as if they were the only living things traveling through a land of specters. The landscape showed no outward signs of life and for some reason Clark felt as if he were invading. That feeling passed as soon as he spotted familiar landmarks that pre cursed their entrance into the Smallville city limits.
After being gone for about an hour and a half the Kent's blue pickup truck rolled back up the driveway of Luthor Castle. Lex leapt nimbly out of the drivers seat, his feet hitting the ground with a hollow thunk. Clark was about to pick Lionel up once more to carry him inside the castle, but before he could Lex motioned for him to stop.
"The servants will be bringing out a back board to carry him in on." Lex said in a hard dry tone, but then his voice fell down an octave and softened, "How is he doing? Did the fever decrease?"
"He feels a cooler than before and he seems to have relaxed a lot since we first picked him up. I think he feels safe with us." Clark replied.
"No Clark, he feels safe with you." Everybody feels safe with you Clark. Even I have felt at ease in your presence since the first day I met you. You are the only person in the world besides my mother that have managed to break down the walls that the Luthor men build around themselves. And so far you are two for two; a perfect score for the perfect savior.
Lex raised a hand to squelch any protest that his words might have stirred then proceeded climb into the truck bed on the opposite side of his father than Clark was on. Lionel's once thick and flowy mane of hair was stuck to his head and fused together into dreadlocks. Lex reached out to brush away the greasy tendrils with his fingertips from his fathers face while he still slept. But Lex stopped mid-motion. His fingers hovered above Lionel's head and every once in a while they would reach down like he really was going to brush the hair away but they flinched back up again. It was as if Lex was afraid to touch the elder man.
Clark gently put his hand over Lex's holding it in place as his older friend tried to pull back. Then he moved Lex's hand so it brushed the stray strands of hair from Lionel's forehead.
"See Lex, you're not going to hurt him." Clark voice was low and gentle as he ungrasp Lex's hand.
With the liberation of his appendage Lex brought his hand back down to cup Lionel's forehead. Trying to see if the fever that had plagued his father was still there.
"He's still warm but it isn't anything that will kill him." Lex said in a slow distant voice.
Both Lex and Clark both heard the servants as they obviously had located their prize: the back board and were coming around the corner of the castle towards them. Lex took his eyes away from the direction the noise was coming from and back to his father. He gently curled his fingers around his father's least damaged hand and squeezed with a gentle pressure as he said, "Wake up dad we're home. Come on now we have to get you inside to see the doctors."
Lionel's eyes opened once more but this time he stared at Lex and made his half grunting half growling noise. Obviously trying to convey to Lex that he was in pain.
Lex shushed him and said, "I know dad I had the best doctors from Metropolis fly in. They'll be treating you here. I made sure that all the equipment they could possibly need was flown in from our labs around the country. I wanted to make sure that you weren't disturbed while you recovered." Lex smiled at him, "Every thing's going to be okay. Don't worry."
Lex actually has a genuine smile on his face. Of all the times to be without a camera! This is a shot of Lex my father needs to see. He keeps on telling me that Lex never shows any emotion that he is just a heartless businessman who is using me. He doesn't realize that when he doesn't respect Lex and belittles him it's just making a easy excuse for Lex to shutdown. All he was ever taught was cold, but with me as a teacher he might learn to be a normal human being yet. And that smile is a promise of something more to come.
Clark and Lex got out of the truck bed as a mix of servants and nurses arrived along with two of Lionel's little helpers or as Lex liked to call them minions of evil. They carefully loaded Lionel's body on to the board and once they had him strapped down carried him off into the castle. Lex and Clark stayed behind. As the minions took Lionel away from Lex and Clark, the two people his tortured mind now associated with safety, he stared at them with a look of fear. Lex catching on began to walk forward to catch up, but Clark stopped him by placing a hand on his arm.
Before Lex could cuss him out Clark shouted, "We'll be right up to check on you Mr. Luthor cooperate with the nurses okay." That won a blank expression from Lionel, and then Clark dropped the volume of his voice. "I need to talk to you Lex."
As soon as he heard the door click shut Lex replied, "About what?"
"I just wanted to tell you that you're handling this well and whenever you need a hand I'll be here on a moments notice. And umm... If you need me to stay tonight my parents said it would be okay." Clark said with all sincerity.
"Yeah I would like that. I think my dad would too. He not be the best people person but he knows a good person to latch on to when he sees one." A confused and insulted look crossed over Clark's features. Shit Lex he thinks you just insulted him. Way to go, ruin the only good thing in your life. "Clark, I didn't mean it that way. I just know that he senses that you're a good person and he knows that you'll protect him. Just like I knew you'd protect me." Lex murmured the last sentence under his breath.
Clark picked up Lex's barely audible words and put a comforting hand on Lex's shoulder. "You're making great progress Lex, but I'll get you to tell me how you feel yet." Clark said wryly.
Trust me Clark you don't want to know the stuff that goes through my head when I think of you.
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Hehehe. Had to sneak that little part in there. For all those who are also reading my other story In a Haze it will be updated soon. Hopefully springbreak can tear down the walls of writers block! lol!
Please for the love of god review review review and please forgive any mistakes I have yet to find a beta reader. Hint, hint anyone out there.