"If a man should importune me to give a reason why I loved him,

 I find it could no otherwise be expressed, than by making answer:

 because it was he, because it was I…"

-Michel de Montaigne

Stretched out on his side on top of Lex's bed, Clark leaning with his head on one arm, gently dabbed the cut on Lex's swollen lip with a cold flannel with his free hand.

The wounded part lay next to him staring up at the ceiling, his mind oblivious to what had taken place here with a certain young girl a week back…

"You know you're quite gentle for the strongest kid on the planet." He said lazily.

"Hey, quit talking, I'm trying to fix you up here."

Lex smirked. "Now that's an impossibility. Some people are irreversibly screwed up y'know."

 Clark grinned.

"I really do."

"Guess we're two of a kind huh?"

He glanced across to see the look on Clark's face.

"This wasn't your fault."

"How can you say that? If it wasn't for me-"

"-if it wasn't for you I'd have nothing of value in my life. I'd have nothing to make me want to be a better person. He didn't do this to me because of you. He did it because he's trying to hide from the fact that he is a lonely, empty and cruel old man who can't go back and have second chance to do things right. I won't make the same mistakes..."

They lay in silence for a second before Clark announced quietly,

"There, all done."

Lex reached up and tentatively touched his face. He swore.

"Oh this is not attractive…"

Clark laughed and sat up to put the flannel and water on the bed-side table.

 Leaning back against the headboard he stared off thoughtfully. It was warm and cosy in here, and whatever was happening in the rest of the world it couldn't reach out here to the manor. This was his sanctuary now…

"You think he knows don't you?" Lex's voice came from beside him. "About us I mean ; how you feel about me…You think he saw …"

 Clark sighed.

"No. He doesn't know. He couldn't…he couldn't even conceive of it...not really. He's…not that kind of guy."

"You really don't think he could understand?"

They shared a look.

"Right." Lex muttered. Tonight they'd seen Jonathan Kent when he thought Lex had just made Clark lie. If he thought he'd taken his son over to the other side, well…they'd have a contender for Lionel's handiwork. Then Smallville would shine its spotlight on both their lives and discover they were Kansas's answer to Roswell, New Mexico.

  Clark forced a smile and rolled his eyes. " Don't worry. I'll just moon over Lana for a while…get a date for the prom -he'll forget anything he's thinking right now. Anything he thinks he saw. He'll make himself forget."

  There was a long pause before Lex spoke.

"And of course…since I won't be here….it'll make things easier. Right?"

Clark closed his eyes, as he felt the bed shift beneath him and Lex pulled himself up to sit next to him.

"I don't want you to-"

"-I know" replied Lex, with a sad smile, He reached out a hand and, his fingertips under Clark's chin, he pulled his face round to look at him. Tearful blue eyes opened before him.

"We have to fix things with our fathers, before we can fix each other." He said wryly.

Clark shook his head.

"I only need a little while, a couple of weeks, or-"

"Or however long it takes for you to get things civil with your dad, and for me to get some distance from mine." Lex said. "Its okay Clark. Wild horses couldn't stop me from coming back."

"Besides." He added, " I've been meaning to go to Europe some time…perhaps pick up a new car."

Clark grinned

"Just don't run me over in this one will you?"

Lex raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I don't know…I quite liked you coming to my rescue and all that."

He leaned in closer and trailed his fingers along Clark's cheek. "You're a regular super-hero Clark Kent."

"And what are you, my loyal sidekick?"

Lex laughed.

"After the hell we've put each other through this year I'd say more like your arch-nemesis."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

With his broken lip the kiss was sore and painful, but oh so so sweet.

~Finis~

Maybe, some day, I'll get round to the sequel…till then, thanks for reading folks, and for all your wonderful reviews and archive offers….not to mention patience with the appalling delays in posting.

Love y'all to bits! JT xxx.

Ps. Make sure to review now!