Chapter Nine

"Lex, I-" Lex's dark eyes clouded over. Numbness settled in and Clark panicked. How much ground could he lose here? Because he knew he couldn't afford to lose any. "Lex, I swear I was going-"

"When?"

"I never said anything to you because-"

"When!" Lex's voice was strained and for a moment he looked out of control. Anger was in his eyes and Clark was glad for anything but the numbness. Lionel put that god-damned numbness there and Clark was fucked if he did too.

He licked his lips. The truth shall set you free. But what kind of freedom was it and did he even want it?

"When?"

"Last night. Well, early this morning."

Lex recoiled from the shock.

"It's not what you think, Lex. I didn-t-"

"Don't bother, Clark."

"I want to explain." His voice was on the edge of desperation and whining but he didn't care. "Please."

"Not necessary." Lex brushed passed Clark and saw the look on Lana's face. He stopped dead, recognition spreading across his face and CLark could tell Lex realized Lana knew about the two of them. Maybe he couldn't guess what she knew, but he knew she understood there was more than friendship between them.

Lana looked at him, eyes sad and shiny with unshed tears. Tears for him and Clark. "I'm so sorry, Lex."

"Sorry for what?" Clark hated this. Lex was playing it off, trying to save face, keep a little dignity or something. Trying not to lose everything at once.

Clark took a step forward. "Lex-"

Lex backed towards the door. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. See you guys tonight."

"We're not-"

But he was gone.

Lana fell in a controlled collapse to the floor. "Go after him."

Clark had to breathe in and out to just keep from throwing something, breaking something, using his increased strength to break a hole through the floor to bury himself in. "I can't."

"Why?"

"Because Chloe's in a worse state at the moment and I love them both."

"You don't want-"

"She needs me."

"The last thing she needs is you right now, Clark."

He shook his head. "No, she's different then you, Lana, and this is a different situation. You always need your space. She needs to be put above everyone else for once. Especially after what we did last night. She needs to get it all out."

"Do you regret it?"

"No, just the when and where of it. And the leaving my socks part, that sucked too."

Lana smiled. "So you are going to risk life and limb to go and talk to a scorned woman?"

He walked over and sat down next to Lana, wrapping his arm around her. "I have to. I can't lose her, Lana."

Lana nodded. "You're a good friend. And maybe you're right. Maybe Chloe does need to be put first. But I wouldn't even know where to begin apologizing."

"I know the feeling."

"What are you going to do?"

He shrugged, not able to get the double expressions out of his head. Betrayed Chloe. Betrayed Lex. "What am I going to do?"

"Yeah."

"I guess I'll do what I've been doing recently. Start out with the truth and hope it gets me somewhere I don't hate being."

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