Lex took a step, testing that threat. The arm around Clark's neck tightened until only the barest hint of air could pass through his throat. Reflexively he curled his fingers around that arm, prying at the grip, but he knew he could not budge it.

"What are you going to do, Kent?" Lex asked softly. "If you take him with you to the other side the door will still be open. Do you think those people will overlook you dragging yourself around as a hostage? I don't think they will. Furthermore," His smile was treacherous. "I will follow you."

"In that case, I'll just kill him anyway."

"NO!" Chloe screamed. "Clark, no!"

Clark felt his captor flinch, and used the distraction to slip his hand into his coat pocket.

The box! The box! Where's the damn rock?

In an instant he had it, flicking it open with his thumb. Green light burst from within and the other Clark flinched away from it with a cry. The moment he was released Clark stumbled forward, nearly falling as his legs buckled under him. Pure adrenaline overrode the weakness and pain. He hobbled toward Chloe as fast as he could. If he could only get out of grabbing distance! Lex spun away from him as he passed, out of the influence of the rock, and behind him he heard a howl of fury. His captor had recovered.

"Clark!" Bug screamed. "GO!"

He lurched forward, increasing speed. He ground his teeth together against the pain.

Seconds later something struck him in the back of the right leg. Time stopped with the sound of a loud SNAP, a sound that reverberated through Clark's body from head to toe to drown out everything else. As he fell he turned his head to see the follow-through of a kick that would have killed him instantly had it connected with his head instead of his thigh. The other Clark bounced backward, out of the range of the meteor rock, and there was a smile on his face.

Clark had no time to fully register what had happened before the pain hit him.

He hit the ground screaming. The rock fell from his hands and tumbled off into the darkness of the caves, out of sight, and possibly out of the realm of recovery. He was oblivious to anything except the agonizing pain. It was far, far worse than anything he'd experienced before, or during his exile in this world. One look at his leg revealed why, and he nearly fainted.

Bones not quite healed had been broken again, this time shattered along with the plates and pins holding them together. Shards of bone and metal protruded from his thigh just above the knee. As he watched in horror, a dark stain began spreading rapidly across the fabric of his jeans.

"Oh no. No. No. NO!" He gritted his teeth, grinding out the last word through taught lips. Chloe scuttled up to him and dropped to her knees.

Her face went white when she saw the leg, but she kept her composure. From around her neck she pulled a small handbag and began to take apart the strap. "You need to stay calm, Clark. Hold still." Her hands shook as she wrapped the piece of leather around the top of his leg and pulled it tight.

"Aauugh!" Clark's eyes watered. "Chloe..."

Her hair fluttered as a rush of air sped past. Clark heard a grunt, and an ominous rumble as Lex and the other Clark slammed into the cave wall, locked in combat. Rocks and gravel came raining down from the cavern roof. From some distance away Bug let out a cry. Chloe threw herself over Clark's body in a small, but valiant effort to protect him. The two combatants stumbled away.

From the corner of his eye Clark could see them struggling. Lex had both fists wrapped in the front of the other Clark's shirt, ducking the punches that were being thrown at him right and left. When one connected he grunted in pain but he did not let go. As Clark watched he braced himself, gave a mighty heave, and tossed his adversary over his head into the ground. Cloth ripped. The other Clark hit the floor with a bone jarring thud.

And the earth trembled.

He's trying to get him to the portal, trying to literally throw him through!

Bug had made it over to them. She hovered just shy of his vision. Her cap was gone, she still had not recovered her glasses.

"How is he?"

Chloe rubbed the back of her hand across her face, leaving behind a crimson smear. The effort she made to keep her voice from trembling showed in her eyes. "I can't stop the bleeding," she said hoarsely. "It won't stop, even with the tourniquet. We have to get him to a hospital, now."

Looking over her shoulder, Bug could see the other Clark picking himself up from the gouge his body had left in the soft earth of the cave floor. Clark could see it too. The other Clark was coming after him again. He heard Chloe draw a quick breath.

Lex rushed back into view, lunging between them and the doppleganger. This time, however, the other Clark was ready for him.

It was a quick move, nearly too quick for them to follow. His arm snaked out, and in one, massive blow, he struck Lex in the face with his fist. Lex's head snapped back. His body arced and twisted and he hit the ground. Again the earth rumbled. Clark heard Bug suck in a breath and hold it.

Lex lay face down in the dirt.

Unmoving.

The other Clark stood there panting, savoring his victory with both fists clenched at his sides. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away and chuckled. It was a low, ominous sound. Slowly he turned his head, and his attention came back around to his look-a-like.

Clark's heart pounded rapidly in his chest. His chest itself felt tight, and every muscle in his body shook and trembled as a sudden chill raced through him. Despite his best efforts his teeth chattered.

"Chlo..." he gasped. "Cold. I'm so cold."

Chloe and Bug exchanged glances. Quickly Bug began stripping off her coat. Both girls draped it over his body.

"It's shock. Clark hang on, okay," Chloe pushed his hair from his forehead. Her fingers were warm against his skin. "You'll be all right."

"Don't lie to him."The other Clark's presence loomed over them. The key was in his hand.

"Duh...duh...don't," Clark struggled to sit up. "You duh-don't understuh...stand." Bug pushed him back. His eyes darted to her face.

Lana. Lana, help me. Lana...

"Lana," he breathed.

"This is over." The other Clark squatted down beside Clark. His eyes were unsympathetic, incongruous with his words. "You have to understand. I need this body."

He reached for Clark's throat.

Clark tensed, seeing his death before his eyes and knowing it was inevitable. Whether he bled to death from the leg wound, or let this imposter choke off his last breath, his fate was sealed.

"No!"

There was a quick motion. The hand altered course, snapping back from Clark's neck to envelop Chloe's. She had tried to stop him and instead he stopped her, hoisting her off the ground and over his head as if she were no more than an insect. Her arms and legs flailed the air. Clark could see the chain of her necklace, half caught beneath the other Clark's hand, press hard into her skin. Blood dripped down upon his face from above. Her eyes were wide with terror and, perhaps, grief. This wasn't the boy she loved.

"Let her go! Clark! No! Let - GO!"

Bug had hold of his other arm, trying to pull him away, to rescue Chloe. Her smaller body was a dark blur of motion as she grappled with the much larger alien. She might as well have been trying to move a mountain. Almost as an afterthought the other Clark put his hand on her chest and shoved her to the ground. She gave cry as she tumbled into a rock. Her breath "whooshed" from her lungs. Stunned, she did not move for a long moment. In the alien Clark's grasp, Chloe went limp.

Clark could only watch as the horror unfolded. He felt himself fading. His lips moved in a silent plea for help. He heard a voice shouting. It was Lex.

"Black Kryptonite! The necklace is black Kryptonite!"

Clark struggled to keep his eyes open, struggled to understand what Lex was saying. He was tired. He wanted to sleep. It would be so nice just to sleep. Fall to sleep.

"Laura! Help him!"

His eyes closed. He felt her small hands on his own, tugging at him. Her voice cried out and he opened his eyes to see the other Clark dragging her upward by a handful of hair. Chloe hung like a broken doll in his other hand. Bug kicked and twisted, struck at her captor with her hands, but could not free herself. Clark could see Chloe's bloody necklace twisted around the fingers of one hand. It dangled tantalizingly before his eyes.

"Drop it! Laura drop it!" Lex screamed.

She obeyed. The pendant fell from her hand just as she was flung across the cavern into Lex's arms. He had one last command.

"THE STONE!"

The shout woke Clark from his stupor. He rolled over, lunging for the necklace with every last bit of strength he had left in him. It was his last chance. Lex knew something. Clark had to trust him. He was not ready to die just yet.

His hand grabbed at the soft dirt of the cave floor, coming up short of the necklace. He cried out in frustration and grabbed a second time. For a moment he thought he would fall short again and despair shot through him along with blinding pain. But this time he felt his hand close around the black stone. His voice cried out in triumph and he heard heard an echoing whimper from a crumpled body beside him. The other Clark had dropped Chloe.

She's alive, oh thank God...

A hand descended out of nowhere, grasping him around the throat. He groaned as he was hauled upward, and he struggled to remain conscious. Before him hovered his own face, and his own eyes, but in those eyes he saw only madness and grief. In that brief glance Clark read the other Clark's intentions. Clark knew he was going to escape death again.

In a last ditch effort to free himself, he struck at the arm that held him with the stone in his hand. It was a meteorite. Even if it didn't do anything else, at least it might cut alien skin.

You may kill me, but you're going to pay for it!

The stone touched the other Clark's flesh. His eyes widened, and he screamed in pain. His grip tightened. Clark no longer cared. He pressed the stone harder between his palm and the other's arm.

Suddenly a bright, white light exploded from the stone, enveloping both Clarks. It burned, searing Clark's eyes and his mind. He could no longer sense where his body stopped and the other's began, as if they had melted together. The screaming continued and he did not know if it was his own or not.

"Nooooooooo!"

He was falling, falling, spinning out of control. His body flailed.

Falling! Help me!

A hand came out of the brightness to grasp his arm. He felt another at his belt. Lex's voice cut through the chaos.

"Hold on, Clark. You're going home."

And then there was nothing.