Clark felt drained of almost all his energy, as he opened his eyes. He knew that kryptonite was around, either in trace amounts or farther away, because he could still move, but he was so weak.
Clark looked around the room; it was a medium sized room, maybe a third bigger than his bedroom, but had half the accessories it held. It did have a bed, which he was laying on, a TV, a refrigerator, and a closet, which was half open and Clark could see clothes inside of it. Clark couldn't remember how he had gotten here, but he did remember Alex crying as he blacked out while his home was invaded. He had to get out of there.
He mustered up his strength and made his way towards the door in the room, but the closer he got, the weaker he felt and he collapsed about 10 feet from the door, unable to get up. Clark tried to keep his head clear, so he could figure out a way out of here, or at the very least, what was going on, and where he was. But with each passing second the pain increased, and pretty soon it was all Clark could think of.
He barely noticed when the door opened and someone walked in; Clark didn't know who it was, he didn't have the strength to turn his head and look. But he felt the person, whoever it was, slide him across the floor, into the middle of the room. Clark slowly began to feel stronger, but not strong. As he became more alert, his eyes started to focus properly and he saw who was in the room with him.
"I wouldn't do that. The walls are all lined with Kryptonite, and so is the room after that. But I've made sure that it's the proper distance, so you won't collapse, or pass out, that is if you don't try to make a run for it." Lionel placed a hand on Clark's forehead.
Clark moved out of Lionel's touch; it was all he had the strength for. Clark hadn't seen Lionel in almost 3 years, so as he looked upon his pale, skinny face, he couldn't help but he plagued with memories of the past, one he didn't feel like reliving. Clark had always seen Lionel as calm, cool, and together, even if he was anything but; but now Lionel looked edgy, and crazed.
"Where is he" Clark managed to get the 3 small words out.
"Who" Lionel smirked, knowingly.
"My Son." Clark automatically thought of Alex, he was worried for Lana too, but Alex was only 3 years old, and Clark just had a horrible feeling that Lionel would go after him. He had felt like that for 3 years.
"Alex, yes we met. He's a smart boy, Clark." Lionel voice was light, as he smirked, but his eyes gave him away, showing the unfathomable, cruel revenge, that he so wanted.
"Don't you hurt him, you son of a bitch." Clark tried to get up, fueled by the thought of Alex with Lionel, but he just managed to stumble back to the floor rather quickly.
Lionel laughed, but didn't say anything.
"He is just a kid! He didn't do anything" Clark shouted.
"No, but you did." Lionel's voice reeked of anger"The sins of the father shall be revisited on their sons." Lionel quoted.
"No" Clark screamed"What did you do to him"
Again, Clark was answered with an evil chuckle, but no real words.
"Do whatever you want to me, but leave Alex and Lana alone" Clark never wanted anything more in his whole life; Lionel could do anything he wanted to, but just leave them out of it.
"I won't do anything to them." Lionel said it with the tone of an obvious lie.
Clark didn't like the way he said 'I'"What does that mean? I want to see them right now! Don't you dare hurt them"
"Don't worry Clark, you'll get to see them." Lionel laughed"Everyday, for the rest of your life."
Clark didn't understand, and his facial expression showed it.
Lionel walked over to the TV and turned it on.
"Go ahead Clark, watch it." Lionel said it as a dare.
Clark looked at the screen, so see it was showing the family room in the mansion. Clark watched as he saw himself and Lana, along with Alex, on the couch hugging.
"What" Clark didn't understand at all. Had Lionel pre-recorded this? Why would he show Clark this.
"Just listen." Lionel gestured towards the TV, and Clark focused on it once again.

Clark saw that Lana was crying, and he saw himself hugging her, and he began to speak"Don't worry baby, it's ok. Alex is fine, You're fine, everything is going to be okay."
Clark still watched the TV screen as Lana began to speak"But Clark, are you sure that he is dead? What if he comes after us again? After Alex" Lana looked over at the sleeping toddler.
"Lana, I'm sure. When I escaped with Alex? I shot him 3 times, once in the head." Clark told Lana.

Clark looked away from the TV in horror as he started to realize what was going on. That wasn't pre-recorded, he had never said anything like that. That wasn't even him sitting on the couch, and hugging Lana, it looked like him, but it sure as hell wasn't him.
"What are you doing" Clark needed more information to fill in the gaps"Who is that"
Lionel laughed"I found someone with extraordinary talents, Clark. He can take on the appearance of anyone he wants, and right now, that is you."
"What are trying to do" Clark hated the feeling in his gut.
"He is going to live for you Clark. He is you, as of now." Lionel told him.
"No? Lana will know its not me." Clark knew she would.
"You might be surprised Clark. The whole 3 years I was in prison, he was watching you, learning your mannerisms and word choices. He probably knows how to be you more than you do. Lana won't notice, no one will. And he knows everything you do, everything in the past five years that you remember, so does he. While you were passed out, we had a nostalgia procedure done." Lionel laughed once again"You know, it was almost worth 3 years in jail to see the look on your face now."
Clark was beginning to panic"What are you going to accomplish by this? Why not just kill me"
"Clark, death is so easy. But you watching everyday of your life, seeing someone else raise your child, and love your girlfriend, now that is hard." Lionel had been planning his revenge for a long time.
Clark hadn't understood before what a long-term thing this was"No"
"Yes. You betrayed me and now I'm going to raise a Luthor right." Lionel said coldly.
"Lana will know that you wouldn't just back off." Clark had to believe Lana would tell the difference.
"No, she thinks I'm dead, just like everyone else. According to tomorrow's paper, you shot and killed me." Lionel smiled before leaving the room.
"NO" Clark screamed.

3 weeks later

Lana slid into bed with Clark.
Clark started kissing her, and practically jumped on her.
"Clark, stop." Lana said rather coldly as she pushed him off her.
"Why" Clark said impatiently.
"Because I'm not in the mood." Lana felt herself getting aggravated with Clark, again. It seemed like all she felt towards Clark lately was anger, frustration, or just plain confusion.
"You're never in the mood." Clark grunted.
"Since when are you horny 24/7, anyways" Lana got up, and left the room. She felt so tense. What was it about Clark lately that made her be repulsed by him?

"You have to get over it, open your eyes. Alex, you are a Luthor, and Luthors aren't weak like this." Clark had no gentleness in his voice.
"Clark." Lana said sharply.
"What" Clark gave Lana a harsh look.
"Stop it. He's not even 4 years old. He is afraid of heights, leave him alone." Lana felt like smacking Clark.
"You are making him weak, Lana." Clark retorted before turning back to Alex"Open you eyes, Alex, look out the window."
Alex started to cry, when Clark grabbed his arm.
"Clark" Lana looked at Clark with disgust.

"Lex, thanks for coming." Lana wiped the tears off her face, as she tried to regain her composure.
"Of course, Lana. What's going on, why are you so upset" Lex sat down close to her and wrapped a comforting arm around her.
"Okay? it's about Clark? you know I wouldn't have asked you to fly in from Paris if I didn't think it was important." Lana said solemnly.
"Yeah."
"Okay, I'm really worried about Clark. Ever since he killed Lionel" Lana didn't know where to start, or what incidents to include. Plus Lex and Clark had always been extremely close, would Lex even think she was right?
"It's okay, Lana, you can tell me." Lex urged her to go on.
"It's like a lot of little things; at first he seemed completely normal? but he just seems? I mean like the other day he completely yelled at Alex, it's like he has no patients for him at all. Alex won't ever go to Clark anymore, he doesn't even call him Daddy. Once Alex even said that Clark wasn't his Dad, but that he was a bad man. Clark says that when Alex saw him shoot Lionel, it probably traumatize him? maybe he's right, but Lex, Clark is changing."
Lex sensed Lana still had something she wanted so say"What do you think is going on with him"
"I don't know, but it seems like" Lana really didn't like saying all these things. She loved Clark, and they had been through so much together, but this, well it seemed like more than a phase. It was like Clark's personality was rapidly evolving"It's like ever since he shot Lionel, he is like slowly becoming him, Lex."
Lex was shocked to hear that, especially from Lana"Lana, Clark knows how evil Lionel was and he wouldn't become like that." Lex sensed his brother was going threw a hard time lately, but he knew Clark; he would never follow in Lionel's footsteps, especially after all he did to make sure Lionel was put away.
Lana felt like Lex was already taking Clark's side"Lex, I know, it doesn't make sense, but I swear the other day, he practically quoted Lionel! Lionel's death changed him. Maybe now that he doesn't see Lionel as the threat, he is relaxing and he is? reverting or something. Lex, I don't know, but I know something is going on with him." Lana felt so frustrated.
"Lana, it's okay. I'll talk to Clark." Lex knew how much Lana loved Clark; and that just for her to be telling him this, showed how worried she really was.
Lana felt like she was breathing in an atmosphere of sorrow. She hoped to God that Lex could talk to Clark and that there was a simple explanation for Clark's recent behavior, because her instinct told her that this was really what Clark was becoming permanently. Clark himself had always warned her, that he had this dark side to him, that he struggled daily with, and tried so hard to leave behind. Hell, he even didn't want to marry her because he always wanted her to have a way out, so she would never be trapped by him, so she could take their son and leave.
Lana had thought about that more and more lately, every time Clark would do something unpleasant, and not bad habit unpleasant. And every time Lana tried to tell herself that it was just a bad mood or stress or even trauma from not only seeing his father die, but being the one to pull the trigger, she couldn't help but remember back when she when she was a teenager and Clark had told her they could never be together. It was right after Clark's coma. He had told her that even though it didn't seem like a possibility then, that it happens so slowly you barely notice, or if you do, you brush it off, and pretty soon it's too late. You are trapped.
Lana could take the risk with herself, for Clark, because she loved him so much. But then their was Alex? she couldn't risk his life. Lana couldn't even count the times she had to refrain from gasping as Clark told her one of his childhood moments, or some confrontation he had, had with Lionel. She never ever wanted her son to have memories like that.
If there was one thing Luthors were, it was smart. Clark had been right years ago, it happens slowly and you ignore it and then it's too late.

Lex walked out of the mansion, after spending almost 6 hours with Clark. Lana was right, Lex could see the distinct attitude changes in Clark, yet there was still Clark there, behind it. It was the brother he had always known, yes, Lex thought Clark reminded him of his 15 year old, spoiled, selfish brother, but worse. Clark wasn't 15 and he knew what he was choosing to do and say exactly, yet it didn't bother him.

The real Clark lay in his prison, disguised as a room. He had tried for 3 weeks, looking for a way out, to escape, but it wasn't possible. The farthest Clark had ever gotten was about 6 feet out his room where he collapsed from the immense amount of Kryptonite the next room was lined will.
Lionel had him in checkmate? no it was worse than check mate. In check mate, you could die, or walk away defeated. Here, he just had to sit and the only think to do was watch the TV screen in the room, and all it ever showed was 4 different rooms in the mansion. Lana and his bedroom, Alex's bedroom, The family room, and the main room.
Day after day he saw some imposter live his life, and now he saw what Lionel was doing. Lionel was raising Alex like he had raised Clark, but through a Clark clone. Clark wanted to kill Lionel every time he saw what looked like him, yell at Alex, or forced him to do something because he 'couldn't be weak'.
If it was not for Alex and Lana, Clark would have given up weeks ago, but he couldn't give up because he had to get out and protect Alex and Lana, and stop the influence his clone was creating. But he couldn't escape; it was impossible. But still Clark would keep trying, he had to, for Alex Lana.
But it was torture and comforting watching Lana and Alex through the TV. He couldn't stand what he saw happening, it made him furious, and hurt, because Lana always thought it was him doing those things to her, saying those things. He couldn't blame her though, how would she know? Clark had lost count of how many times he had seen her cry since he had been forced to live out his own personal hell in this room.
Alex, though, he surprised Clark. Alex somehow knew or sensed it wasn't his real dad, even from the first few days. He always insisted that "Clark" (even when he was being gentle and loving) was a bad man, not his daddy. Alex avoided Clark's imposter when possible.
Clark had been inflicted with much pain the past few weeks. He had numerous scars that traced his back, stomach, legs and arms. They wouldn't heal, because even thought the Kryptonite was measured and distanced perfectly so Clark couldn't really feel it's effects, they were still there.

TBC