Close Yet Far

"So… shoot away…" said Clark as he was sitting across from Lois in the little French café.

"Clark please, don't be like that… I'm just worried about you… You seem like you don't sleep at all…" said Lois with concern in her voice.

Clark's features softened when he saw that she was sincerely worried about him. "Look… Lois… I'm just going through a bad phase right now…"

"Does it have to do with me?" she asked softly.

"Not exclusively… but I'd be lying if I said you had nothing to do with it." Said Clark smiling weakly.

"But honey…" Lois started to say, before Clark interrupted her.

"Please don't call me that…" he said slightly irritated.

Lois paused when she realized her slip up. "You're right… sorry… Force of habit… As I was about to say… I thought that the divorce was what we both wanted… I mean… we agreed it would be for the best…"

Clark cringed when he heard the words he so often used in the past being thrown back at him. For the best… Ha… that's a good one…

"Look Lois maybe it will turn out for the best maybe it won't, but right now it just doesn't seem that way."

"But Clark during the last half year of our marriage you have been miserable. You avoided being with me, and you constantly used Superman as an excuse to not be at home, I mean… I thought that's what you'd also want." Said Lois in a defensive tone.

"I did all that because every time I was there, you constantly reminded me of how bored you were with me… You were always infatuated and in love with superman, Clark Kent was just side baggage." Said Clark aggressively.

Lois looked a bit hurt. "I never said that Clark."

"You didn't have to say it Lois…" said Clark with resignation.

There was silence between them. They both stared at the table in front of them and avoided to look each other in the eyes. Clark was the first to break the silence.

"Lois… I'm sorry… I… well… let's just say you are right… It's not like I was the ideal husband for you… And to tell you the truth… now that I think about it…. the divorce was more of the catalyst to bring about more issues I've had in my head since… forever… I think it was for the best… for both of us…"

21 years old

Clark has spent most of his time traveling the world, and helping people whenever he could. He used his "fortress of solitude" –as his mother had teasingly branded- as a base, and from there embarked upon many travels.

During this time his mind was constantly coming back to Lana, and in the end he couldn't deny his heart and paid her a visit in Milan, just to see her. The first time he went there and saw her, his heart melted. She was even more beautiful then he remembered her, if that was even possible. He saw her being among friends, and having a good time, laughing and enjoying herself. So after a great internal battle, he decided that it would be best for her, if he let her be. He left before she had any chance of seeing him.

That one visit of course led to a couple of more thereafter, and soon it was almost a habit. Twice a week he would go to Milan to check up on her. Of course every time he would leave before she saw him, cause every time he would say to himself that it was for the best.

One day Clark saw in a newspaper called Daily planet, an article entitled, "Man or Superman?", by none other than Lois Lane. It was definitely about him. It contained rumors and sightings of him helping people, and even though it also contained a somewhat irrelevant and off the mark –according to Clark- analysis of some of Nitche's writings regarding Superman, it was full of unabashed adoration and admiration for this new hero.

32 years old

Clark entered the reception of Luthorcorp's base of operations. It was the largest building in Metropolis by far.

"Hello my name is Clark Kent I have an appointment with Mr. Luthor." Said Clark as politely as possible.

"Hold on a minute sir…" said the receptionist as she checked her computer to find the appointment. Clark became nervous as he hadn't actually booked an appointment. Meeting with Lex Luthor had become the same as trying to meet the Pope. He just wished he could convince Lex to meet with him.

"Umm… I'm sorry sir… I can't seem to find any such appointment. I'm sorry…" said the receptionist smiling.

"Yes… but could you please contact him and tell him Clark Kent is here to see him… I'm sure he'll be interested to meet with me." Clark put on his sweetest smile.

"I'm sorry sir I can't do that myself… but… wait a minute…" said the receptionist as she went back and called someone who seemed to be her superior. As she talked to him and pointed at Clark, he smiled broadly and walked over to Clark.

"Mr. Kent, it's a pleasure sir." Said the man extending his hand to Clark.

Clark looked at him curiously. "Do I know you?" he asked as he shook the man's hand.

"I'm sure you don't, but I know you. It's my job to know anyone who is associated, one way or another with Mr. Luthor. Let me just inform him that you wish to see him." Said the man as he phoned Lex on his office. Soon he was back with Clark. "Mr. Luthor is waiting for you sir."

Clark entered the elevator and pushed the button for the 100th floor. He was starting to wonder what exactly he wanted to say to Lex, and he realized that he just wanted some explanations. Their relationship had never been the same ever since they left Smallville, but they were always very civil to each other whenever they met. Truth is, Clark put on a great effort trying to be civil with Lex, as he found himself more and more detesting Lex, as the years passed by.

He walked into Lex's office not sure what to expect, especially now after Lex bought the DP.

"Hello Clark…"

22 years old

Clark is once again back in Smallville, visiting his mother, who was ill at the time. Not anything serious, but Clark wanted to help her any way he could.

As he was out shopping, a car –a black Ferrari- came to a stop beside him in the road. The window came down and Clark saw Lex Luthor looking at him.

"Clark?" as Lex saw that it was Clark, he got out of the car and approached him.

Clark smiled. "Hello Lex" he said as he extended his hand.

Lex shook it and smiled back at him. "What are you doing here and where have you been? It's like you vanished into thin air the last 3-4 years."

"Well… I've been traveling a lot…" said Clark trying to come up with something.

Lex smiled. "I'm glad you took my advice Clark. So where have you been and what have you been doing?"

32 years old

"Ok… Lex what do you think you're doing?" asked Clark trying to control his temper.

"It's always a pleasure to get lectured by you Clark." Said Lex with a smirk. "And to answer your question… What I should have done some time now, but stupid sentimentalism and a false sense of morality kept me from doing."

Clark approached Lex who was sitting calmly at his desk. "Lex you do realize that people will now finally realize who you truly are don't you?"

"I never pretended to be someone I'm not Clark." Said Lex looking intently at Clark. "But the definition of who you've come to believe I am, and who I know I am, are very different as always."

"You are delusional Lex. You are a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants."

Lex chuckled. "You say that like it's a bad thing whereas I believe it is one of my best qualities."

"The sad thing is that I don't know if you realize the damage you're causing to other people, or you simply don't care…"

"Damage? Do you know what the blood of this world of our civilization is Clark? Of this very society that provides you with everything you have, including the freedom of speech your precious little newspaper has been abusing for so long? Money. That's it. I have become the heart of this world Clark. I'm making money move around. I'm producing money. Without me at this point, the world would suffer, maybe not to the point of dying, but if you had your way our society as you know it would crumble. That's the truth! And yet you continued to slander me whenever you could, with your pseudo-morality code, claiming I am the villain of the story, when the truth is you all depend on me." Shouted Lex who was getting increasingly irritated.

What always surprised Clark, is the fact that despite being constantly on the opposing side to Lex, he never once avoided speaking to him. It almost seemed to Clark, as if Lex was trying to justify himself and wanted Clark to acknowledge that.

"People have died because of some of the things you've done Lex, you have forced companies to close, forced many people to unemployment, and lately I hear you've reached the point where you were somehow involved in the assassination of the Serbian president Simic. You are indeed a big part of this organism we call our society, but unfortunately you are a cancerous one. And now you've reached a point where you eat away everything that stands in your way. That is why you and people like you are the villains Lex."

"You can say and believe what you want about me Clark, but facts remain facts. Ever since Luthorcorp expanded to the Balkans, unemployment there has reduced 5. Investments there have increase almost 10, and the per capita income has gone up almost 4. And even though I did not wish him dead and had nothing to do with his assassination, that man opposed this expansion, because he wanted to maintain his hold of the local black markets. And you think him being taken out of the picture was a bad thing? Because of me even more people around the world have jobs, and progress is higher than ever everywhere. But I guess you'll of course blame me for the fact that there are poor in the world, or diseases, or wars. I shouldn't be too surprised though. It's in the nature of human beings to want to have someone to put the blame upon, to avoid looking deep within themselves for answers. I just always thought you were different Clark."

"What you fail to realize Lex is that even if you have done all this, it doesn't justify the means you constantly use to achieve your goals." Said Clark in resignation.

"That's just a fairy tale for kids Clark. All that matters in the end and all you're remembered for is what you've accomplished and not how. That's what you fail to realize."

16 years old

Clark and Lex sat on the loft and watched the stars, each looking into the future. Clark was a little apprehensive of what would come to pass and what was in store for him, but then he looked at Lex. He had that confidence in his eyes that betrayed his nature. Lex always knew that one way or the other he would leave his mark on the world. No matter what happened he was certain of that, and he would let nothing stand in his way. Clark felt a little jealous of that confidence of Lex, because for Clark, things always seemed too complicated for clear cut answers. There were always too many factors to consider. He just hoped that when the need for serious decisions rose, he would be able to make the right ones.

Clark tried to draw some of the confidence that Lex seemed to have, and then he turned around and kept on looking at the beautiful starry sky, having his friend by his side.

To be continued…