Two.

He was in perfect blackness. It was thick, holding him still. No pressures on his body, only a dull rhythmic thumping in the background. It lulled him for a long time. He didn't think or feel or see.

A surge of pain went through his body. His muscles clenched, his teeth ground. Consciousness slammed back to him forcing a gasp. He tried to curl in on himself but his body wouldn't readily cooperate.

A whimper escaped his lips. Rolling his head to the side, he cracked his eyes open. He was in a small room, stark white. The overhead lights were under the plexiglass paneled ceiling, a large mirror was toward the foot of his cot and a door directly across from him. The cot was narrow and too short for his six foot three inch frame. His clothing had been replaced with white hospital-type scrubs.

Thoughts started to fight through the muck of remaining blackness.

'Where am I?'

'What happened?'

Another wave of pain twisted him in on himself.

'Meteor rock.'

His stomach roiled, dizziness gripped him.

'I am going to be sick.'

'Think, Clark. What happened?'

He fought through the chaos in his mind.

Lex…coming into the Talon…"Clark, it looks like smoke near your farm."…"Uh, I'm sure it's nothing." Fake smile, making to leave…"Do you want a ride home?"…Nodding. "Thanks. Lex."…"I don't see any smoke, Lex."…Lex shrugged, "Maybe it was nothing. We should still check."…Running up to the house, "Mom, Dad."…House…the house…the house…exploded…it exploded…itexplodeditexplodeditexploded…Lex's voice…in his ear…"You knew it had to come to this."

'No, that's wrong. My parents can't die. I need them.'

'Lex would never hurt me. He's my friend.'

'Dream, had to be a dream.'

The click of the door unlocking brought his attention. A salt and pepper headed man in a long white coat walked in flipping through a file. An orderly followed close behind and locked the door behind them.

"Clark, how are you feeling today?" the doctor asked.

Clark frowned at him, pushing himself back to sit against the wall. He winced as the room spun. "Where's my mom and dad?"

The doctor pursed his lips. "Clark, do you know where you are?"

Wordless, Clark shook his head no.

Making a note in the file, the doctor continued, "I am Dr Kimball. You have been in my care for eight weeks. You were brought here when your parents were killed in an accident. You have been in a form of traumatic shock ever since."

A tear streaked down Clark's cheek. His parents were his world, they were gone, which left him with no world in which to live. 'Liar.' "I don't believe you."

"It's alright, Clark. We will take this slow."

Clark blinked, remembering, "Where is Lex? You work for him right? What does he want with me?"

"Lex Luthor? No, I do not work for him." Realization hit the doctor. "Lex Luthor came to visit you often. Since your last violent outburst three weeks ago we couldn't allow visitors any more."

Clark had to close his eyes against a wave of nausea.

Dr Kimball, watching closely, asked, "Dizzy, Clark?" At Clark's slight nod, he pulled a syringe of green liquid from his pocket. "This will help you relax."

Clark opened bleary eyes to focus on the doctor. 'Do they know my secret?' "No." He made to move away from the doctor. He was sluggish and easily held by the orderly.

"You can't use that," he insisted.

"Why not, Clark?" the doctor humored his patient.

"You'll kill me." He continued to strain against the orderly.

Dr Kimball watched, intrigued. The boy's eyes didn't leave the syringe, his breath came in gasps, he pulled constantly against the hands restraining him. He was terrified. "Clark, what will kill you?"

Clark blinked, risked a glance at the doctor's face. "M-meteor rock, meteor rock will kill me."

Doctor Kimball shook his head, placing a hand on Clark's shoulder, "Clark, this is only a sedative. There is no meteor rock."

"I don't want it," voice harder, commanding.

"Calm down, Clark," as if talking to a small child "I will put you in restraints if I must." The doctor pulled his arm straight, swabbed the crook of his inner arm, and quickly emptied the liquid into Clark's blood stream.

Clark could only stare as the needle easily slid into his skin. A stick and burn later left his muscles unresponsive and his brain back in a hazy fog.