"How're you doing?" Clark asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Chloe.

"As I said before, I'm *fine*." She grinned and leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. "A little tired, a little headachy, but I'll be fine."

"Well, the doctor said you probably don't have a concussion--or if you do, it's a mild one," Clark offered.

"Oh goody." Chloe wrinkled her nose at him. "Somehow I'm less than comforted." She hid a yawn, blinking sleepily.

Clark hugged her. "Get some sleep, okay? Either Lex or I will be in every couple of hours to wake you up."

Chloe groaned, running a hand through her hair. "I know, I know. Evil sadists that you are."

He kissed the top of her head and stood, tucking her in. "Night, Chloe."

She mumbled a goodnight at him as he turned off the light and left, closing the door all but a crack.

Lex was in the living room, looking idly at one of the bookcases. He stood up straighter and turned when Clark entered. "Chloe's asleep?" he asked quietly.

"Mostly, yeah. She'll be fine." Clark shrugged. "She's got a hard head, I guess. How're you?"

"I'm fine." Lex slipped his hands into his pockets. "You want something to drink?"

"Uh--yeah, that'd be good."

Lex nodded. "I was going to have some juice, if you're interested."

"Sure."

"Be right back." Lex left the room silently, leaving Clark with the unsettling feeling of wanting to hide. Dealing with the man was difficult enough, but without Chloe's presence to act as a buffer...

Well. He'd live. They were both adults, after all. No reason they couldn't be civil to each other.

A moment later, Lex returned, handing Clark a tall glass filled with what looked like orange juice but didn't taste quite like it. "What is this?" he asked, looking at it.

"Orange mango. I developed a taste for it a while back." Lex sipped from his own glass.

"It's good."

"I'll tell the manufacturer," Lex said drily. He drifted back over to the bookcase, idly running one hand along the rows of leather-bound volumes. "You just got back into town, didn't you?"

Clark nodded, taking a seat on the sleek black couch. "Covering for Chloe's been my first assignment at the Planet," he admitted.

"And already you're in the thick of things. Somehow I'm not surprised. You always were, even back in Smallville." Lex turned slightly, one corner of his mouth quirking slightly. "Clark Kent, the trouble magnet."

"Chloe was usually right there with me," Clark felt obliged to point out. "Maybe she's the trouble magnet, not me."

"It's definitely possible." Lex shrugged. "Good to be back?"

"Yeah. I'm still reconnecting with people and all, but--yeah, it's good to be back."

"You didn't keep in touch with anyone?" Lex asked, and Clark had the sense there was more to that question than simple politeness.

"No, not really. Ask Chloe--she saw me and the first thing she did was hug me. The second thing she did was smack me and call me an ass. I think she's still mad at me."

Lex nodded. "I was--surprised when I'd heard you were gone," he said casually. "If you'd told me you were leaving, I could have made your travels easier."

"I--I didn't want that. I wanted to see the world completely on my own." And I didn't want to be in debt to you, Clark admitted silently. By the end of college, he'd begun to realize what his father had said back in high school--Lex's gifts didn't always come without strings.

Even if Lex didn't realize it.

"Understandable." Lex took another sip of his juice.

The silence between them stretched for an uncomfortable moment before Clark broke it. "You've done well," he said finally. "LexCorp looks to be more successful than LuthorCorp ever was."

"Thank you." Lex inclined his head slightly.

Clark looked at the clock--an hour and a half until someone had to check on Chloe, and he wasn't even remotely tired. Calling this a long night wasn't even close to the truth.

"I heard from Pete the other day," Clark said abruptly. "He's working for one of the Kansas representatives--if all goes well in the next election he'll move up to chief of staff.

"Good for him." Lex smiled a little. "Maybe I'll hire him someday."

"Still want to be President?" Clark asked lightly.

"The future's never certain, Clark." Lex shrugged and took a seat in a chair to Clark's left. For a moment, it was almost like being back in Smallville--Clark the younger, more innocent of the two, soaking up advice and friendship from Lex.

"No, I guess not." Clark looked down at the glass in his hands. "Do you ever miss Smallville?" he asked impulsively.

He didn't think Lex was going to answer him for a minute. "There are a few things about Smallville I can say I enjoyed," Lex said at last. "But weighed against the general feeling of the populace during my time there--no, Clark, I don't miss it."

Clark didn't entirely believe him. "Not everyone thought you were a pariah," he pointed out. "I didn't."

"No. You didn't." Lex stood, walking over to the windows.

You didn't then--but what do you think now, Clark? What do you think of me now? Clark could hear the words, even without Lex saying them. They hung in the air between the two of them.

It weighed on him--because what right did he have to judge Lex? They'd been close, once--closer than brothers. And now, they were nothing but two strangers in a room, bound only by a professional problem and a blonde woman who lay sleeping a few yards away.

Clark wondered what Chloe thought of the situation. She'd resented Lex, once; she'd accused Clark of forgetting about everyone else when he was around. "It's like the two of you have this club and no one else can join," she'd said one day. At the time, Clark had protested her words--now he saw the truth in them.

Well, the club was officially disbanded now. Lex had moved on from Smallville, as had Clark. Their paths had diverged a long time ago.

"Do--do you have any idea who that was, tonight?" Clark asked, breaking the silence again.

"I'm not sure, but I have more to go on now." Lex turned, his outline reflected in the glass. "Within the next two days I'll know who our culprit is."

Clark nodded. "Good."

"I think so--I'd really rather not have Chloe get injured again before this is done," Lex said wryly.

"If she gets hurt again, I'm not sure if she'll be more upset with the vandal or with you."

"If she gets hurt again, I'll have to become her informant," Lex countered. "She's already gotten a four-part series out of me. I shudder to think what this will cost."

Clark smiled, setting his glass down. "Some women demand jewelry--Chloe demands stories."

"Of the two, I'd rather have to deal with jewelry."

"Why? Do you have that many secrets that need hiding?"

Whoops. That--hadn't been the right thing to say. Clark *saw* Lex go cold and winced. "Sorry," he apologized. "I was just kidding."

"No, you weren't."

"Lex--"

"You made it abundantly clear what you thought of me years ago, Clark. Don't tell me you've suddenly changed your opinion now." Lex looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

Clark opened his mouth and shut it without saying anything. Lex was right.

"I'm going to go check on Chloe," Lex said simply. "Feel free to peruse the bookshelves."



About an hour later, Clark heard noise coming from Chloe's room and dropped his book, pushing the door open.

"No, don't--" Chloe gasped; Clark heard her heart pounding. "Please, don't--"

"Oh, hell." Clark spared one quick glance at Lex before scooping Chloe up in his arms, rocking her slightly. "It's okay, Chloe--it's me, Clark. It's okay." He held her close, knowing that her subconscious would register his presence and she'd wake up.

She woke with a start, gasping for breath. "I couldn't breathe," she said, burying her head against his shoulder. "I--and the dirt--and--"

"Sssh. It's okay, Chloe. You're here now." He stroked her hair, letting her cling to him.

Lex left quietly, returning with a glass of water. Chloe pulled away from Clark and took it, drinking carefully. "Thank you," she said, looking a bit embarrassed. "Sorry--I--"

"It's all right." He took the glass back and set it down on the nightstand. "Would you like me to leave?"

She shook her head. "I won't be able to sleep again," she admitted. "But if you two will excuse me, I'm going to go wash my face." She slid out of bed and padded to the bathroom, her shirt barely covering the essentials.

"She gets nightmares," Clark said quietly. "They started after she was kidnapped."

Lex nodded. "Has she ever seen anyone for them?"

"You'd have to ask her, but I'm guessing not." Clark shrugged. "Back in college, she spent more nights than I can remember sleeping in my bed."

Something flickered in Lex's eyes briefly. Clark had no idea what it was and no time to figure it out, because at that moment Chloe came back in, looking calmer. She climed back into bed, draping the comforter over her legs. "So," she said, looking from one to the other. "Has the truce been signed yet?"

"We're not at war," Clark protested.

"Uh huh." She gave him one of her 'You're an idiot' looks. "Seriously."

"I think we've managed to put our differences aside for the moment," Lex said smoothly.

Clark hid his surprise before Chloe noticed it.

"Right." She eyed Lex narrowly. "Okay. I'm awake. You're awake. Now what?"

Lex didn't even try to hide the smirk.

"I think not," she said, rolling her eyes. "Not unless you and Clark have something going on you're not telling me about."

Clark bit back a laugh. No--there really wasn't. His feelings toward Lex were complicated at best, and he admitted that there was a dose of sexual attraction in there somewhere. But as for acting on it--he *really* didn't think so.

Lex didn't seem inclined to answer; Chloe looked from one of them to the other again and sighed. "So much for humor." She raked a hand through her hair, wincing when she brushed over the lump.

"You should try and get some more sleep," Lex said.

"It--I can't." Chloe sighed.

"I can stay," Clark offered, taking one of her hands.

"No, that's okay. I shouldn't sleep much anyway."

"It's fine." Lex rose. "I'll come in and check on you every couple of hours in case Clark falls asleep."

"You won't get much sleep that way," she pointed out.

He shrugged. "I'll be fine."

Clark was torn; part of him wanted to protest and insist that he and Lex take turns. The rest of him was more concerned about Chloe. And--well--this was something he could do for her that Lex couldn't, and that was so incredibly petty he was ashamed to admit it.

"If you're sure," he said finally.

"It's fine." Lex left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Chloe sighed again, leaning against Clark's shoulder. "Well, that was wonderful," she said glumly.

"Don't worry about it. We'll sort it out in the morning." Clark hugged her. "You want me to crawl in there with you?"

"I guess." Chloe picked at the comforter absently. "Clark--if I have to keep playing buffer zone between you and Lex, I--"

"We'll behave," he interrupted. "I promise."

"If what I just saw was an example of behaving, I don't think I trust you," she countered.

Clark winced inwardly. "It's been a long night, Chloe. Can you forgive us for being a little short-tempered?"

"I'll think about it." She grinned. "But you'll stand a better chance if you don't hog the covers."

He laughed and stripped down to his shorts and undershirt, crawling under the covers next to her. "You're safe with me," he said quietly.

She smiled, one hand curled against his chest. "I know."