Title: Letting Go

Feedback: Yes please.

Summary: (a Smallville/Gilmore Girls crossover) When Clark runs away from Smallville, where does he go? In a weird twist of fate, he finds himself in Stars Hollow, where Lorelai and Rory have just returned from Europe. What starts out as a coincidence slowly becomes a summer that they will never forget.

Rating: PG-13/R

Pairings: Clark/Rory, with Lex/Lana and Lorelai/Dean

Spoilers: Everything up to end of season 2 of Smallville and end of season 3 of Gilmore Girls. For those of you who are unfamiliar with either show, here's the breakdown: Clark runs away from Smallville after his alien father calls out to him and everything in his life had turned to a disaster. Despite his love for Lana, he still leaves without any explanation (along with his red kryptonite ring which turns him into bad Clark), breaking her heart. Lex, on the other hand, just got married but his wife supposedly tries to kill him and the season ends as his plane is crashing into the ocean. In Stars Hollow, Rory has just graduated and is about to go on the trip to Europe with Lorelai but she isn't as happy as she should be because Jess inexplicably left her to go to LA, while Dean, her other ex-boyfriend has just announced his engagement to Lindsay.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Gilmore Girls or Smallville.

NOTE: Okay...need to clarify this: I am not condoning pedophilia. This story is really about relationships and character development. As I said from the note before, Dean is 18 therefore IS a consenting adult. As for Lex and Lana, well they haven't done anything as of yet and I'm not out to have Lex just "stealing her innocence" out of nowhere. There are a lot of Lex/Lana fics that are way more graphic and less subtle than this. Lex and Lana are just friends as of now and nothing more. As I've said before, I wrote this because I felt no one was addressing these issues and the potential in these relationships. That said, since no one was writing it, I decided to write them myself. I appreciate the loyal readers and their imput but please note the pairings in this fic because if you find them at all gross or weird, you can stop reading this story.

Also, I'm sorry that it took so long to update but schoolwork and life had gotten in the way but I hope this makes up for it. This is the longest chapter yet.

****

Part VII - The world is just a stage

As Lex walked out of his bathroom, he wondered if she was awake yet. Adjusting his tie by the mirror, he would look back every so often to see if she was stirring or not. Last night felt like the longest night ever and maybe the strangest one as well. Just remembering her holding on to his arm and his hand, like she was holding on for dear life, her sweet hair brushing his face, her breathing heavy. He didn't know what to make of it. When he had invited her to stay, he had no idea that somehow they'd end sleeping in the same bed, Lana holding him for comfort. He just wanted to help her, calm her down, make her happy again. He just didn't think it would involve him thinking about the nape of neck, the stillness of her small body and the way his heart would beat a little quicker whenever she was ever a feet away from her, nevertheless lying right next to him. He quickly pushed those thoughts away as he walked over to her side of the bed and saw her murmuring in the distance.

"Lex, what time is it?" Lana asked as she looked up to him in a daze.

"It's 9 o'clock." Lex replied as he bent down beside the bed. He could see the panic in her eyes as she realized the time. "Don't worry. I got someone to cover your shift for you."

"Bu..."she began.

"You had a rough night." Lex answered as he stroked her head. "I think you can sleep in at least for today."

She just smiled weakly as she looked at him. How does he do it? she thought to herself.

"Thank you." she whispered as she attempted to prop herself up.

"Hey, I told you." Lex answered as he smiled at her. "When you own a business, you can bend the rules every once and awhile."

"No, not for that." she smiled. "For last night. It was a lot to ask."

"It's no problem, Lana." Lex exclaimed as he stood up. "I'm here for you if you need me."

She looked with gratitude as she stretched out her hand to grasp at his.

"So Lana, I have to go to work now." Lex explained. "But you can get up, take a shower, get ready and I had Simon prepare you breakfast and you can drive my Ranger to work, okay?"

"Thanks." Lana exclaimed as she slowly sat up in bed.

"I'll talk to you later okay?" Lex replied as he waved at her and exited the room.

Lana sat there for awhile as she looked around the room. Last night it was so dark, she didn't see exactly how the room looked at all. All she could remember was crying and being in Lex's arms. Rubbing her arms, she could still feel the warmness of them wrapped around her. It felt comfortable. It felt natural. It felt as if she was coming home. She sat there, leaning against the backboard of the bed for a long time as she pondered when she would ever leave the bed and actually get up. But before she could stand, the phone by the nightstand began to rang. She looked at it and wondered whether she should pick it up or let the machine take it. It rung two more times before she impulsively picked up the receiver and answered.

"Hello? Luthor residence." Lana exclaimed.

"Lana? Is that you?"

She sat there. flabbergasted for a moment as the sound of the voice began to register in her mind. Even if she had lost her mind, she could never forget his voice. Clark's voice.

"Clark?" she managed to word out.

"Lana, what are you doing at Lex's house?"

"I...um...I am living here now." Lana muttered, still trying to form a full sentence. "Didn't Lex tell you about it?"

"No, he didn't mention it."

"It's just a temporary thing." Lana explained. "I just thought that living with Chloe was too hard so I'm staying with Lex until the apartments above the Talon are finished."

"Oh..." he replied, still confused. "I can't believe Lex never told me about this."

"It's nothing." Lana replied. "Lex is just doing me a favour." she could feel the anger building up inside of her. "What do you care anyways?"

"He's my best friend. He could have told me about it." Clark pointed out.

"When have you ever been concerned about me?" Lana demanded. "It's not like you gave a damn when you picked up and left did you?"

"I cared about you. I still care about you." Clark insisted.

"Whatever." Lana said with a sigh. "Why didn't you call Clark? Why didn't you contact us before? Everyone was worried sick about you."

"It's complicated Lana." Clark explained. "I didn't know what I was doing. I mean I woke up a few days ago and I didn't know where I was. I mean I can't remember what happened to me the last two months."

"Well do you remember our tree Clark?" Lana asked. "Do you remember that night in the loft? Do you remember how I kept pleading and pleading to you to stay, and you just didn't listen and left?"

"I'm sorry Lana." Clark said with pain. "I never wanted to hurt you Lana...I just can't explain it."

"No, you can't say that." Lana cried out as she fought back the tears. "You can't keep saying that and everything is going to be under the rug. You have to tell me why you left. Why you had to leave your friends and family...why you had to run away."

"I didn't want to cause you pain." Clark explained. "I mean everything around us was falling apart and if I stayed, I would break your heart and I didn't want to do that to you."

"Well it's too late." Lana said bitterly. "You did break my heart. Do you know how I felt waiting and waiting for you this whole summer? Waiting for you to come back and explain everything. To say that you're sorry and that you wanted to take it all back. I waited everyday for you, but you never showed up. You never said a word."

"I'm sorry Lana." Clark said as his heart sank. "I don't know what else to say."

"I'm sorry too Clark." Lana whispered with a tired sigh. "I'm sorry that you couldn't open up to me. You couldn't keep your promises and still, like a fool, I kept waiting for you."

"Lana, I loved you." Clark explained. "I loved you so much that it hurt...I even love you still but I just couldn't stay there. I couldn't watch you fall apart because of me."

"Clark, I loved you too." Lana said, still not believing what she felt. "I just don't understand why our love wasn't strong enough to keep us together. To keep us from falling apart like this....I never ever thought it would end like this."

"I never wished for this." Clark sighed. "You know that. I mean I spent the last year, my whole entire life following you, loving you from afar, wishing and hoping that if you would only see me, that maybe you'd give a second look and we could have our happy ending..." he paused. "But then when you finally did see me and we had our chance, the world fell apart around us...maybe it was just a dream that I kept wishing too hard for....maybe we weren't..."

"...meant to be together." Lana finished his sentence, feeling the life force draining from inside of her. A wave of silence came over them as they fought hard to find the words to say to each other.

"When are you coming home Clark?" Lana managed to say.

"I don't know." Clark admitted.

"Your parents miss you." Lana explained. "Lex misses you...I miss you."

"I miss you too." Clark replied, feeling as though the wound would never heal between them. "Lana, are you okay?"

"Clark, I'll be fine eventually." Lana assured him. "I'm just taking it day by day."

"Me too." Clark said. "And Lex?"

"He's doing okay." Lana replied. "Lex...he takes care of me." she sighed. She didn't know what to say but she didn't want to lie about that fact.

"I'm glad." Clark admitted, even though it pained him to know that he couldn't be the one to do that for her. "I'm happy that he's looking out for you."

"Me too." Lana said with a relieved sigh. "Now I understand why he's your best friend. I never really understood it till now, but now I do."

"So..." Clark replied. "I have to go now."

"Me too." Lana said as she looked out the window. "I have to get to work. The Talon awaits."

"I know." Clark answered.

"Clark..."Lana began. "do you think you can call again? Let me know how you're doing?"

"I will." Clark assured her.

"One more thing..."Lana asked. "I just need to know...after all this...have you found what you're looking for? Are you happy?"

"I think I am." Clark admitted. He didn't know why, but this place just made him feel like himself again. Like he didn't have to hide. Like he didn't have to fear. "Are you happy?"

"I am." Lana answered with a smile. "I am happy."

****

"Oh my gosh!" Rory exclaimed as she looked at the town square. "I can't believe all this stuff!" She was looking in amazement as all the carnival rides that were laid out and being set up. There were not only rides but also booths all tightly locked spread all over. She had experienced carnivals in Stars Hollow before but none of this size and this elaborate. All the roads were blocked as the carnival equipment spread itself through the entire town.

"Taylor really went all out this time. God, I can't believe he went to all of this for the soda shop." Lorelai replied as she admired each ride that they passed by.

"I know...I had almost totally forgotten that the carnival was opening tonight." Rory said as she smiled.

"Oh!" she pointing to the big ferris wheel. "I totally have first dibs on that."

"No I am!" Rory insisted.

"And I'm going on the Strawberry tilt-a-wheel, the mini rollercoaster..."Lorelai exclaimed as she pointed at each of them. "Mine all mine!"

"No fair!" Rory replied as she sulked.

"Shall we a truce?" Lorelai suggested.

"We shall."

"Alright." Lorelai said with a smile. As she looked up, she could see Kirk standing on the roof of the soda shoppe. "Hey Kirk!"

"Hi Lorelai." Kirk replied as he turned to look at her.

"What are you doing?" Lorelai asked she looked questionably at Kirk, who was tangled within a sea of twinkle lights.

"Taylor wants me to put some lights up for the grand opening tonight." Kirk explained.

"It looks dangerous." Rory remarked. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm okay." Kirk exclaimed. "Anyways, this is going to be a very complicated mechanism when it done. With a push of this button," Kirk pointed at the remote in his hand. "The whole store will be lit up." But as he tried to move, he tripped over more lights and fell into the huge pile of lights before him.

"Kirk!" Lorelai said with a pained look as Rory tried not to look, with the same uncomfortable expression that was on her mother's face.

"I'm fine!" Kirk exclaimed as he put his arm up to show that he was okay.

"Are you sure?" Lorelai said as she bit her lip. From the looks of it, Kirk was far from being okay and with his stellar history with various gadgetry, she secretly hoped that Taylor had hired a professional. A real professional.

"Everything's just peachy." Kirk insisted as he made an okay sign with his outstretched arm. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay." Lorelai exclaimed, still wondering if they should walk away just yet.

"If you need anything, just holler okay?" Rory added. "We'll be in Luke's."

"Okay!" Kirk shouted from the twinkle light pile.

As they entered Luke's, Rory whispered to Lorelai. "I wonder what Luke thinks of the carnival."

"I'll ask." Lorelai said with a twinkle in her eye. "Oh Luke!"

Luke walked out from the kitchen as he saw her approaching. "Oh God." He just knew what was coming.

As Rory found them a table, Lorelai sat at a stool and proceeded to enjoy in her favourite pastime: pestering Luke. "So what do you think of the carnival?" she asked innocently.

"Don't remind me." Luke said as he shook his head at the spectacle outside. "Look at it! It's a complete eyesore not to mention Taylor has gone completely berserk about it."

"But carnivals are fun!" Lorelai insisted as she sat there recounting it all. "The rides, the cotton candy, the games. Come on! Didn't you just love them when you were a kid?"

"I don't know. I mean I could play that games fine but I've always hated clowns." Luke replied.

"Clowns are found in a circus, not a carnival." Lorelai pointed out.

"Same difference. Anyways, I always got nauseous on the rides." Luke explained as he continued to wipe the counter. "That's not the point."

"What is the point then?" Lorelai asked.

"That Taylor could put on this charade in the first place." Luke said. "I should have stopped him at the soda shop but no. Everybody had to have ice cream and candy and so he got his stupid shop and I'm his landlord. Not only that, he conned everybody to believe in this stupid carnival idea was good for the town when in reality, it just serves as publicity for Taylor to take over this town. Today it's carnivals, tomorrow the town is renamed Taylorville. It's propaganda, I'm telling you, PROPAGANDA!"

"Hey calm down, backwards cap man." Lorelai exclaimed. "Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?"

"I blame you, you know." Luke said as he scowled at her.

"For your crappy mood?" Lorelai scoffed.

"You should have backed me up when Taylor wanted the soda shop." Luke explained, looking at Rory as well. "But no, you just had to have your ice cream."

"But we love our ice cream." Lorelai replied in an innocent falsetto. "Ice cream with a cherry on top, if you please."

"Please." Luke said with a scoff. "Don't you realize this is just another one of Taylor's conspiracies? Who knows? Maybe he's planning to drug the town with his stupid ice creams and sweets."

"Paranoid much?" Lorelai exclaimed as she looked at him skeptically.

"Well laugh all you want now." Luke warned her. "When you come back asking me for help when you're chocking on a poisoned sour ball don't say I didn't warn you."

"Ooh!" Lorelai exclaimed as she backed away from the table, back of her hand on her head, pretending to be a southern belle. "Save me Luke! Save me!"

"Very funny." Luke replied sarcastically as he walked into the kitchen.

As Lorelai settled herself onto a chair, the chime on the door rung as Clark came through the door.

"Hey!" Rory exclaimed as she smiled widely at his appearance.

"Hi." he replied as he pulled himself a chair.

"Hi Clark." Lorelai said as she watched him sit. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

"Not really." Clark admitted.

"Come with us to the carnival tonight." Lorelai exclaimed as she looked over to Rory. "I think Rory would really, really like you to be there." she couldn't help but tease Rory at that moment.

"Mom! I think I can ask him myself." Rory interjected as she playfully swatted her mom. She then turned her attention to Clark. "So do you think you can come? It'll be really fun."

"Sure." Clark said with a smile. "That sounds great." As they sat there, Luke approached table, with a pad of paper.

"What do you guys want?" Luke asked.

"Hey Luke, this is Clark. Clark, Luke." Rory introduced them.

"You remember bike boy." Lorelai added.

"Hi." Clark said as he waved at him.

"Hey." Luke nodded as he turned to Clark. "Are you sure you want to sit with these two? Cause I should warn you, they are kind of crazy."

"Hey!" Lorelai said as she swatted Luke in the stomach.

"I'm just warning him." Luke insisted. "I mean, they seem normal now but once they get coffee into their system, WHAM! you're screwed."

"Wow you really know how to charm a woman." Lorelai noticed.

"Well I do what I can." Luke replied with a look as he waited for their order.

"We'll have burgers, fries and cokes." Lorelai said as she looked over at Clark. "What are you going to have Clark?"

"I'll have the same." he replied as he looked up at Luke.

"Okay, coming right up." Luke replied as he walked away. Lorelai watched him go as she suddenly got off from her chair and followed him.

"You know I've haven't been a carnival in a really long time." Clark remarked as he thought back.

"Really?" Rory replied. "We have at least two a year but it's never this big. The only reason why it's this huge is that Taylor, the man who owns Doose's Market, is opening a soda shop next door and he's really doing everything to promote it."

"Yeah, that is a lot for a soda shop." Clark said as he looked at her. "How does he manage it?"

"Oh he has his ways." Rory explains. "He just really is involved with the town. He practically plans all of the events here. Basically, if you're not involved in the town's activities, you are kind of a social pariah."

"Wow." Clark replied. "Smallville hardly has any real events. I can't imagine what would happen to a person who didn't join in."

"Just look at Luke." Rory said as she looked over at Luke. "He doesn't really go to any of them and he doesn't care. It's pretty much because he hates Taylor and everything he stands for so he tries to get a rise out of him. It's actually pretty amusing, especially at the town meetings."

"Town meetings?" Clark asked, the concept completely foreign to him. "I've never been to one of those either but they sound interesting."

"Best entertainment when you have nothing to do on a Saturday night." Rory insisted.

As Luke busied himself with the orders, he couldn't shake Lorelai, who kept staring and smiling at him. "What now?"

"I was just thinking that maybe you'd want to come to the carnival." Lorelai suggested.

"Are you crazy? Join into one of the town love-ins?" he paused. "It's even a town event because it's just self-serving to Taylor anyways. No thanks."

"Oh come on! What else are you going to?" Lorelai asked. "Sit here and watch fishing. Empty ketchup bottles? I mean yes it's Taylor's event and yes it does advertise the soda shop but carnivals are fun! I'll even save you a seat with me on the ferris wheel. I've got first dibs."

Luke looked at her skeptically, not knowing whether to yell or smile. "I'll think about it."

"Thinking's good." Lorelai said with satisfaction. "See? you don't have to be a grump all the time."

"Well I didn't say yes." Luke explained.

"But you didn't say no." Lorelai pointed out.

"But I didn't say yes."

"but you didn't say no."

"okay, I'm walking away." Luke said with a sigh as he retreated into kitchen.

"Well...." Lorelai blurted out. "I'm going to get you to that carnival if it's the last thing I do!"

****

Lex watched as Lana pummeled her fists hard into the punching bag. She just kept going at it, refusing to let up. As he held the punching bag, he could feel the full force of her anger as she channeled it into the bag.

"Okay, I don't want to know who you are trying to imagine but I'm really feeling sorry for them now." Lex remarked as he could see the expression on her face.

"I'm just a little frustrated, that's all." Lana replied simply as she kept her fists up, putting her body into each punch just as Lex had taught her.

"Was it another rough day at work Lana?" Lex asked as he looked over at her.

"Today was fine, at least work wise." Lana replied. "Maybe it's confusion...I don't know."

"You're not telling me something here." Lex said as he felt the impact of another one of his punches. "I mean you haven't really said anything much ever since you came home. Just tell me Lana."

"I'm sorry." Lana apologized. "It's just that after you left this morning, Clark called the house and I answered the phone."

"Clark called?" Lex said, a little surprised. "Why didn't you tell me about it before?"

"I guess I've just been processing it in my mind." Lana explained. "I was just surprised to hear from him, like he was when he heard me on the other end. Why didn't you tell him I was staying here?"

"I don't know." Lex admitted as he shrugged, not knowing what to say. "I just didn't want him to get upset."

"And me living here would make him upset?" Lana asked.

"I'm not sure. I mean we've talked but I haven't told him much." Lex said with a sigh. "I haven't even had a chance to really tell him about Helen."

"He doesn't know about the accident? That you went missing? That we thought you were dead?" Lana asked.

"Well not remembering the last two months does that to you." Lex replied. "What could he have been doing this whole time?"

"I don't even want to think about it." Lana said as she shook her head.

"I'm guessing you guys didn't really have a good conversation." Lex pointed out as he walked around the bag to stand closer to her.

"I don't know...it was like everything came back." Lana explained. "I was asking all the questions and he didn't have any answers. It's like I hated him with every fiber of my being but all I want to do is have him home. It's just so exhausting to love and hate a person at the same time. I just wish I could just forget about him and go on with my life, you know? But even now, I can't stop worrying about him."

"Well I still worry about him too, especially since he's living up there all alone." Lex replied. " I mean, when you really care about someone, as hard as you try, you can't forget about them." he paused as he took as he took a breath. "Are we okay, Lana?"

"Yeah, it's not you." Lana assured him. "I just wish this was less complicated, you know? Clark and I keep going in circles and circles, avoiding the inevitable when it's staring at us in the face."

"Sometimes all we can do is stop running and face the truth." Lex replied trying to give her some solace.

"I know..." Lana said and then she smiled. "At any rate, I think I realize now how much he needed to get away." she sighed. "He seems happy. I don't know what it is but he sounded like he was free."

"I'm glad he's finding himself." Lex said as he looked at her. "The question is: are you happy?"

"I am." Lana confided. "I'm happy when I'm with you."

****

"Attention, people attention please!" Taylor cried out as he looked over the crowd, but people kept chattering on in their respective groups.

"Does anyone listen to him?" Clark asked as he looked over at Rory.

"No, not really." Rory admitted as she giggled.

"Don't worry, it's just funny seeing him get angry." Lorelai added as she smiled with Rory.

"Especially when he's wearing that costume." Rory laughed as tried not to completely lose control. Dressed in his old-fashioned red stripped jacket, bow-tie and top hat, he looked more like the master of ceremonies at a circus. A jester. Certainly a very silly looking man.

Clark just looked at Rory appreciatively as she continued to laugh with Lorelai. Rory was always pretty but as she wore a light blue halter top with her blue jean shorts, she looked really beautiful in the night lights. As she turned her head, she caught him watching her.

"Hey." Rory said with a smile.

Clark smiled back as he bent his head and whispered into her ear. "I know I haven't said anything yet but you really great tonight."

she smiled widely at the compliment as she turned her head and whispered. "You look nice too." Dressed in a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans, she couldn't help but notice how cute he looked, especially when he smiled in that adorable way. As they kept looking at each other, the spell was only broken when they were startled by the angry sound of Taylor's voice.

"PEOPLE! PLEASE!" He yelled out in his loudest voice into the microphone. Suddenly everyone became quiet. "Thank you. I'd just like to welcome you all to Stars Hollow's annual summer carnival as well as the grand opening of Taylor's Old-Fashioned Soda Shoppe which is located right besi..."

"Taylor! Taylor!" Babette cried out from within the crowd. "Just get to the point!"

"It's not like everyone doesn't know where your shop is." Andrew added.

"On the contrary, I'm just clarifying for those of us who are new here." Taylor explained as he pointed out Clark from the stage. "Like that young man right there."

Clark just stood there, waving at everyone, completely embarrassed that he was singled out from the crowd.

"Hubba hubba." Miss Patty sighed a little too loudly as she stood next to Taylor on the stage. "Hello honey!" She said with a smile as she waved at him.

Clark just grinned awkwardly as he waved back at her, with everyone snickering and giggling in the background.

"Focus people, focus!" Taylor tried to divert the crowd attention's back at him. It was bad enough that he had to come traipsing into town on that heathen of a vehicle but having him be the talk of the town was taking it too far. "As I was saying Taylor's Old-Fashioned Soda Shoppe is located across the street from here, right next to Luke's Diner." As he pointed towards the store, everyone turned to see a darkened store. The crowd just stood in anticipation but nothing happened.

Taylor, clearly embarassed looked around for Kirk. "Kirk! Turn on the lights please!"

"Where is Kirk anyways?" Lorelai looked around amongst them.

"I think he's up there." Rory pointed over at the roof of the store as Kirk was busy fiddling with the lights.

"Kirk, you told me it was all going to be by remote!" Taylor exclaimed as he pulled at his collar. "Don't worry folks, the lights will be on shortly...hopefully."

"It was supposed to work Taylor." Kirk explained as he walked slowly on the ledge of the roof, struggling to find the loose connections. "I tested it all this afternoon."

"Kirk be careful!" Lorelai exclaimed as she watched Kirk teeter and struggling to keep his balance on the roof. She ran, along with Clark and Rory towards the building.

"Just one more lig..." Kirk exclaimed but somehow he missed a step as he walked backwards and the crowd gasped and screamed as Kirk fell back off the roof. Clark, sensing the fall, sped up quickly towards the building. The world fell into slow motion as he watched Kirk fall slowly to the ground and Clark stood right underneath him to catch him in his arms.

"Oh God, oh God, I'm dead aren't I?" Kirk said in a panic as he kept his eyes shut tightly.

"Kirk! Kirk! You're not dead." Lorelai insisted as she walked towards them as Clark carefully put Kirk to his feet. "Clark saved you! I don't know how but he did!"

The townsfolk rushed towards the scene as if they couldn't believe their eyes. There he was, Kirk, without a scratch on him.

Kirk just looked around at all the faces looking at him, smiled weakly as he suddenly rolled his head back to faint, his legs giving out from under him, but Clark's steady arms caught him again. "Whoa." Clark said Kirk looked bewildered and confused as regained consciousness. "Are you okay?"

The crowd looked on in utter silence and amazement as Kirk looked towards Clark, still steadying him. He knew what he should say but the words wasn't coming.

"You saved me." Kirk uttered finally.

"It was nothing." Clark replied modestly.

"It wasn't nothing. That was amazing." Rory said with a bright smile.

"You saved my life." Kirk repeated. "I was about to tumble to my death and you rescued me." Kirk said as he stood straight up now with his hands on Clark's shoulders.

Clark didn't know what to say. He had saved countless lives and he never thought he needed any thanks. He was always there at the right moment and did what any person in his place would do: Step in and help.

"You're like my hero, man." Kirk suddenly exclaimed as he pulled Clark towards him to give him a hug. Clark, slightly surprised, at especially how tightly Kirk was holding onto him, just hugged back as the crowd went up in applause.

Clark just smiled politely at the crowd as the people started to swarm around them, utterly amazed and grateful for his heroic efforts. But what was on his mind was the fact Kirk was still hugging him.

"Kirk, I think you can let go now." Clark whispered as Kirk finally realized that he was holding on a bit too long.

"Oh, sorry." Kirk said apologetically as Clark slowly backed away.

"It's okay." Clark smiled as he looked towards Rory. She just walked closer to him and reached for his hand. She noticed that he was blushing a lot while everyone kept looking on. She knew he didn't want to be the center of attention just by the way that he squeezed her hand.

"Kirk," Clark whispered. "Are the lights working yet?"

"Oh!" Kirk suddenly remembered, as he grabbed for the remote in the inside of his workman's outfit. He pulled it out and pressed the button. Suddenly the soda shoppe went up in lights and the crowd gasped in delight at the beautiful lights, relaying their attention towards the store again.

Clark let out a little sigh of relief as he turned around to look at the store like the rest of the townsfolk and turned towards Rory, who just smiled at him.

****

"Lana?" Lex called out as he walked down the halls of the mansion. It was one thing that he hated about living in such a large house. He could never find anyone. It was fine when you're living alone but in any other case, it's a nightmare. He had searched her bedroom, and the kitchen but she was nowhere to be found. As he walked into the library of the mansion, he wondered if she might be here.

Sure enough, he looked up to the second floor of the library and there she was, sitting on the floor in one of the aisles, nose deep in a book.

"Lana!" he cried out with a smile as she jerked, startled by his voice.

"Lex!" She said as she shooked her head and looked down towards him. "Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry." he said as he began to walk up the staircase towards her. "I was calling for you all over the mansion. Just wondering if you wanted dinner yet."

"Oh I'm fine." Lana said with a shrug. "I was just reading this book. I just caught up in reading it, I wasn't noticing anything."

"I know." Lex replied as he walked towards her and moved down to sit next to her. "I've seen how you get when you're reading. What are you reading by the way?"

"Tess of the D'Urbervilles." Lana replied as she flipped the cover so that Lex could see. "It's pretty good so far. But I guess you would know since you own all the books here."

"I haven't read it." Lex admitted as he took the book from here and admired the back cover and front. "This belonged to my mother. She said it was one of her favourites but I never actually got around to reading it."

"Really?" Lana said. "I guess I can't blame you. You have so many books here. I don't know how long it would take me to read all of them."

"Well I have read most of them." Lex exclaimed. "There's just a few that I haven't gotten around to. Like this one. So it's good, is it?" he smiled. "You probably would have gotten along well with my mom."

"I would like to think so." Lana said as she looked at him as he handed her the book back. "She sounds so great." She sighed as she looked towards the hardbound novel. "Just needed to escape for awhile. Not think. But of course I choose another story about doomed romances. I really don't know why."

"Well, as far as classics go, most of them are tragic love stories. The good ones always are, isn't it?" Lex remarked.

"Yeah." Lana admitted as looked away and then back again. "Lex?"

"Hmm?" Lex said as he gazed at her.

"I know this sounds repetitive but I still wish that Clark was coming home." Lana said finally.

"I know you do." Lex replied.

"I just don't understand why he can't come home." Lana said. "I thought once I finally heard his voice and had a chance to ask, I would get some answers but I still don't get it."

"Maybe he just wants to take a break from being Clark Kent." Lex suggested. "I mean, I think we're all guilty of wanting to be in another person's shoes. And after all he's been through with his mother losing the baby...I don't really blame him for wanting to leave." as he said those words, he wondered if he should have said it.

"I know...a part of me doesn't blame me either." Lana admitted. "But then everything was going so well between us and then he left..."she paused. "He wanted me to go with him."

"Really?" Lex said as he stared at her surprisingly. "Why didn't you go with him?"

"I couldn't leave my life." Lana explained. "As much as I loved him, as much as I needed him and wanted him in my life, I couldn't give up everything for him...sometimes I wonder if I should have..."

"Well if you didn't feel right about it, then it wasn't the right choice." Lex replied.

"Or maybe I just didn't love him enough to make that choice. Shouldn't you give up everything for the one you love?" Lana asked.

"Well, sometimes you do and sometimes you don't. It doesn't mean that you didn't love him. You guys were only together for such a short time." Lex explained. "You can't expect yourself to drop everything for Clark."

"But I know he would have dropped everything for me, or at least he would have before." Lana exclaimed. "What does that say about me?"

"Nothing." Lex assured her. "It's just that Clark has always been in love with you. You've only just found out how you felt about him. There's a difference."

"Or maybe I'll never love him as much as he loved me." Lana exclaimed with a sigh. "Ugh, I hate thinking about this...maybe it should have been me leaving instead of Clark."

"You're going to be okay." Lex said as he put his arm around her. "Love always tends to suck sometimes."

"I just wish I knew what he was doing right now." Lana said as she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Well if it'll make you feel better, I'm going to pay him a visit soon to see how he's doing." Lex said, hoping the news will comfort her.

"Really?" Lana said in a hopeful tone. "I'm glad...maybe you can get him to come home."

"I just thought that I should see how he's coping and maybe when I finally see him, I'll tell him about Helen and the accident."

"I can't believe you haven't told him about it." Land said as she shook her head.

"I know, I know. He'll know soon enough. It's not exactly the type of news you tell someone over the phone." Lex said rationally.

"Yeah I guess." Lana said as she continued to lean her head against him as she picked up her book again. "Lex?" her eyes looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Clark still loves me?"

"Of course he does. Why would you ask?"

"I knows this might sound silly but...I can't help but think that there's something, someone keeping him from coming home...crazy isn't it?"

"Maybe. Don't worry about it." Lex said with a sigh as he hugged her slightly with the arm that was around her and kissed the top of her head. "So, tell about me about the book..." as he held up the book for her and smiled down at her.

CHECK OUT PART 2