Disclaimer: The characters of Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent belong to the franchises for Superman ™ and Smallville ™. I do not claim possession of any copyrighted characters. Any and all other characters belong to me and may not be used without my permission.

The premise for this fanfiction involve thematic elements that may not be suitable for young children. Dreams in particular recap memories of Lex's life and also visions for a possible future. No sensual content in this chapter.

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His eyelashes fluttered, raptly following the activities going on behind his closed lids. Dreams were rare for this man, and when they did appear, he almost never put any stock in them, but this was different. He was there. It was real.

Three separate limousines pulled to a stop before the enormous building, attached miniature American flags undulating in the subtle breeze. The doors on the middle vehicle opened, four guards decked out in sunglasses and weaponry holstered at their sides stepped out to the left and right. Their eyes were attentive and alert, following every movement that might pose a threat to the man now emerging.

It was with elegance long born that he stepped forward. Performed several hundreds of times, he was now accustomed to the security precautions, the attentions, the adoration paid him by all American citizens. His neatly pressed slacks ended just below the tops of his patent leather shoes. The silken teal shirt was slightly open near the collar, lending him a relaxed air that was far from the truth.

He plucked the sunglasses from his nose, surveying his domain with unadulterated satisfaction. Tucking the glasses into his front pocket, he moved up the walkway to the building, his security agents faithfully surrounding him, eyes on the alert for anything out of the ordinary. He reveled in the threat of danger; finding amusement in the knowledge that he could be dead within seconds if his men made just one wrong move. He passed through the doorway and into one of the largest powerhouses in the world. One corner of his mouth lifted in a sardonic smile, before he turned to greet his guests.

Jonathan and Martha Kent.

They were expected. Their son's life depended on their cooperation. He extended his hand and with a look of pained humility Jonathan accepted it, having no other alternative. The predatory gleam in his eyes was apparent, as the President of the United States invited his wary guests to come into the parlor.

Lex Luthor's eyes shot open and his body erupted in movement, landing him on the floor in an instant. His adrenaline was rushing and it was all he could do to allow reality to settle in around him as his eyes darted about the room seeking out anything that didn't belong. A faint sheen of sweat reflected across his face and bare torso as his breathing finally slowed to near normality. His dream had seemed so vivid. He relaxed back against the tangled sheets of his bed, allowing his mind to meditate on the meaning behind his visions. He had seen himself in the President's seat in the past, but this was another thing entirely. He had actually tasted sweet victory. It had been real, as real to him as the bedclothes upon which he rested.

Uneasiness settled like a blanket of darkness across his mind and soul and his eyes narrowed, mouth tensing into a straight line. It had been real, right down to knowing that the glasses he wore in his dream were the pair now resting safely in a dresser drawer. He couldn't stay in bed any longer. With determined movements, Lex hurriedly dressed, yanking clothes from his closet with barely a thought as to whether they matched. Since most of his wardrobe was done in black, the result hardly mattered anyway.

"Great. A psychiatrist would have a field day with me," he muttered in irritation, muscles tensing up under the mental strain of what he'd seen. He and Clark were not exactly on the best of terms at the moment, but he needed to see somebody, anybody. Just someone who he had been able to trust at one time or another and Clark Kent was the first person to come to mind.

With a squeal of rubber, a midnight black Porsche pealed from the mansion's garage, nearly fish-tailing as it took the somewhat hazardous dips and swerves into Smallville at a riotous speed. Lex didn't bother slowing down as he zipped past business and domestic districts, and though he knew that his somewhat ferocious driving would draw attention, it didn't really matter. These people had never cared for him in the past, and his current hazardous driving wasn't going to alter their mostly innocuous opinions of him.

The Kent farm loomed on the horizon within minutes and Lex slowed his pace slightly, parking the vehicle along the road, so as not to wake the rest of the household. Clark sometimes lurked in his loft at all hours of the night, so Lex wouldn't be at all surprised to find his old friend doing a bit of stargazing.

The night was cool, but not uncomfortable, and Lex had grown accustomed to never being completely warm. The lack of hair most likely had something to do with his perpetually chilled body, but it only made him more grateful for his uniqueness. The gravel crunched beneath his shoes as he quietly opened the side door to the barn and stepped inside. It was dark and musty as all barns, but he could already sense that Clark was in the loft above his head. He didn't call out, but started up the steps, allowing his footsteps to fall silently on the well-kept boards. Still, Clark heard him coming, and his voice sounded questioningly from the head of the rugged stairs.

"Dad?"

"No, Clark, it's me."

"Lex?"

Clark's voice echoed with incredulity and it was no wonder. Lex, even when they were close, had never traveled over for a late night talk. His huge form loomed in front of Lex instantly, but he didn't react to the sudden movement. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to Clark's remarkable ability in accomplishing things most people believed to be impossible.

"Do you mind if I come up?" Lex questioned.

"Lex, do you have any idea what time it is? What are you doing here?"

Clark sounded almost irritated at the interruption, but that was no surprise due to the stiffness which had emerged in their friendship.

"Clark, I had a dream and I couldn't get back to sleep."

"So you were alone last night, were you? Somewhat surprising, don't you think?" Clark snapped at him. But he did move back from blocking the stairs and Lex took the immediate advantage by moving toward the unshuttered barn window.

"Clark, you know I've changed my habits since then. Besides, I never claimed to be perfect, as most of the town knows. You've certainly seen me at my worst, Clark, so why should you be surprised?"

Lex pushed his hands deep into the pockets of his tailored black slacks, blending almost perfectly into the darkness of the room. Chagrin crept across Clark's features and he sighed, settling onto the seat by the window, resting one hand on his telescope.

"I'm sorry, Lex, it's just, I don't know. I can't seem to trust anything you say anymore. After everything we had been through, I had at least thought you would have stopped investigating when I asked you. But instead you did it behind my back, and now everything that's happened since then. It almost seems like you're a different person from when you first arrived in Smallville."

A small smile touched Lex's face and a muscle jumped in his jaw as he settled back against the wall.

"I am different, Clark. I'm discovering what true power means, what it's like to possess and control. I beat my father, if only for a short time, and that's given me the smallest taste of victory. I wouldn't exchange that for anything, though I will say that I regret the rift it's placed in our friendship. It seems that secrets have a way of coming out."

Clark's eyes lowered at his words, and Lex cocked his head lightly, trying to force Clark into meeting his gaze. He would have none of it.

"Clark, I'm not the only one who's changed. For example, you've changed. Lana has also changed, and that's something you've never been able to handle. She's no longer the terrified teenager who's afraid to reach for her future. She's holding it in her hand."

Clark's eyes lit fire now and he stood chest to chest with Lex who, like all Luthors, refused to back down.

"Lex, I'm happy for Lana, but those decisions should have been her own to make, not forced on her by you. I never liked how you were giving her choices beyond her capabilities, and now, thanks to you, we've added Jason to this mix of insanity."

"That is another issue, Clark. Jason. I like him even less than you do, but at least I have him in a position where I can keep an eye on him. What about you? All you seem to do is lurk in the background, offending Lana and everyone else with your gibes, and that's not like you, Clark. Jealousy is one thing, but possession is even more dangerous. I'm willing to let Lana go. Can you do the same?"

Lex could sense Clark's rising anger, and he mentally stepped back from the disagreement. They needed to talk and this discussion was getting them both nowhere. He placed some distance between Clark and himself, sidestepping around the telescope to gaze up at the delicate stars so far above their heads.

"I've often wondered about the galaxy."

Curiosity overcame Clark's need to pummel something and he stood on the opposite side of the telescope, allowing it to separate them.

"There must be more out there than what we can see. As a child, I imagined other worlds, other beings and creatures. I never told my father, but my mother understood and she accepted my desire to know things beyond my reach."

"Clark, that's all I was doing with you. I never meant any harm to come from my curiosity, but it happened anyway. I fear I received that particular trait from my father, which explains why it hurt you."

Lex turned toward Clark, peering beyond the base of the telescope where Clark refused to meet his gaze. Lex didn't pull away, but waited, quietly and patiently for any response Clark was willing to give. Clark's eyes closed and he exhaled a sigh, looking downward for a brief moment, before he stepped around the telescope, closing the distance between them. They were alike in so many ways, but also very different, and Lex knew the differences consisted of how they had been raised.

Clark didn't seek power, but it seemed to gravitate toward him. Lex was always trying to bring his power to completion, and was constantly being forced backward. When it came down to the most important character traits, they were as unlike each other as oil and water, but Lex was not willing to relinquish their friendship based on such a feeble diagnostic.

Clark's eyes barely crinkled in the corners, his teeth lightly bit into his lower lip, and than the burden was released, if only for a time.

"Tell me about this dream of yours?"

Relief flooded through Lex's body though his emotions were not evident on the surface. He turned his attentions back to the window and sifted through his dream for pieces he could reveal to Clark without giving away the evil glee he had felt in knowing Clark's life would have been forfeit if his parents' refused to give him answers.