(3) Aftermath.

As Lana argued with Clark she sped up, her attention was now on totally trying to talk sense in to her boyfriend. She was totally surprised when Lex sped up beside her; he was shouting something at her.

Lana said. "Lex?"

She lowered her window in time to hear him shout. He was telling her to watch out, she looked and saw glaring lights. Lana braked as Lex passed her and braked in front of her. Her car impacted with the rear of the smaller sports car. She screamed and dropped her phone as she stomped on her brakes.

Lex drove along behind Lana, like a good little patient. His wounds were now throbbing; Lana had wrapped him up kind of tightly. Lana was driving well; she was doing the speed limit, and this was making Lex fidgety. His normal speed was at least ten to twenty miles over the posted speed limit. There was nothing more exhilarating then the purr of a high performance car. The straight flat back roads of Smallville were perfect for speeding. Having driven Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and other powerful sports cars, he had learned the price of reckless speeding. When he was speeding his attention was on high guard for anything that could cause him harm. He was surprised when Lana sped up, he couldn't see what was going on with her, but what he did see was the school bus coming from the crossroads up ahead. He quickly did some mental math, and concluded that the bus was not going to stop at the stop sign. He shifted into high gear, and drove along side Lana.

"Look out!" He shouted at her.

She did not hear him because her window was up. When she lowered the glass he shouted the same thing again, but they were too close now. Lex gunned his engine and maneuvered in front of Lana and slammed on his brakes. He felt a jerk as Lana's SUV hit him from behind. That was nothing compared to the crushing hit of the school bus hitting his drivers side. The pain of his old wounds was replaced by new agony. The cars interior crumpled and cut into him. He was whipped around as the car tumbled over and over. When it finally stopped, there was practically nothing left of the driver's side of the car. The rest of the once sleek car now resembled a soda can that had been chewed by a chipper-shredder. Gravity took over as Lex slumped out of the seat; his upper back and head impacted with the pavement.

Time slowed down as the bus slammed into the small silver car ahead of Lana. She could only scream, as she pressed harder on her brakes. Her car was clipped sending it into a 180 spin before it came to a rest. She pried her hands from her steering wheel, and got out of her truck. She was shaking all over; she was scared, and she was surprised. Shocked that she could still walk; she touched the damaged corner of her car.

Suddenly panic set in. "Lex? LEX!"

Lana looked around; she screamed as her eyes located the crumpled car. Lana dashed over to the wreckage not caring about the strong scent of spilled fuel. Lex was lying partially on the pavement; he was covered in cuts and blood. A pool of crimson was spreading out from under him.

Lana started to cry. "No, No, NO LEX!"

Lana kneeled down in the blood, and gas mixture. She let her hands over above Lex's chest; she needed to help him, but there was so much blood. Lana touched his face; he had done it again. Once again Lex Luthor saved her life, and she was scared that she would not be able to say thanks.

Lana sobbed. "CALL 911!"

She bent closer to Lex and listened for signs of life. He was breathing but it was labored, and full of a rattling noise. She looked up wishing someone would help her; it was then she saw a strange blur. It moved fast towards them; in a matter of seconds it was close to them. When it stopped, Lana gasped as she recognized it to be Clark. He looked positively scared; as if he was expecting something terrible. He visibly calmed as he laid his eyes on her. Lana could only stare in amazement; no normal human could move that fast. Lex was right; Clark had been hiding an amazing secret.

Clark had been listening to Lana when she screamed, there was a crashing noise, and suddenly the line went dead. Clark's stomach sunk, as he thought the worst. Jor-ei claimed someone had to die in exchange. He had watched his Dad die but then rewound time in order to save him. He thought he had made the right decision; Clark never fathomed that someone else would have to die. He super sped out of the Talon and down the road; his heart raced as he pictured Lana mangled in a car accident. Up ahead half way to Lex's mansion, he saw the glare of headlights. He saw a school bus its' front end was damaged, he ran into the middle of everything no caring who saw him. He was on the verge of tears when he spotted Lana on her knees beside a heap of twisted metal. She was moving, she was looking right at him, and her face was a mask of astonishment. She had seen him moving too fast to see; she knew at least part of his secret.

Lana tore her eyes from Clark, and looked back at Lex's broken form. She touched his face; despite the injuries his skin was still soft.

Lana called out to Clark. "Clark! It's Lex! He needs HELP!"

Clark did not move; he was actually relieved to see Lex lying bloodied on the pavement.

Clark thought. "It's not Lana, she's OK. It's just Lex."

Just then the sound of a car door shutting shook Clark out of his observations. He felt a push as his Father pushed past him and headed towards Lex. He heard a country song playing from behind him.

Lana was surprised when Clark did not move; she was disgusted when she saw a hint of relief pass over Clark's face.

Lana pleaded to Jonathan. "Mr. Kent, please help him! He's hurt! You've got to help him, he saved me, please don't let him die."

Jonathan took charge and felt for a pulse; there was one but it was fading.

"I told you to drive slower." Jonathan mumbled.

He looked down at Lex's face and was surprised to see that the young man's eyes were open.

"Lex? Lex can you hear me?" Jonathan asked.

Lana gasped. "Oh god Lex! Come on Lex focus! Please, you have to focus!"

"Clark come over here and help Lana." Jonathan called out.

Lana sputtered. "What? No I'm OK! I want to stay."

"Look Lana, your head is bleeding, and you're sitting in gasoline. If you want to help Lex, you have to calm down." Jonathan Kent reasoned.

Sirens filled the night air as the police arrived on the scene. The fire trucks and EMS vehicles soon arrived as well. Everyone was pulled away from Lex's side as the paramedics started to work on him. The car had practically crumbled so Lex did not need to be freed from his car. This made the paramedic's job easier. With help, they stabilized his spine, and loaded Lex on to a backboard. He needed to get to the medical center immediately, so the EMS got him onto the gurney immediately, and rushed him to the waiting bus. They buckled him in as they moved; Lex's arm flopped from his side, and dangled in the air.

Lana watch in shocked silence as the events unfolded in front of her. Clark held on to her but she could not feel his arms. The medical people were rushing; taking care of Lex in a hurry. Was this a good thing or a terrible one? She noticed Lex's arm, and she broke away from Clark. She took Lex's hand in hers and lifted it back up to his side; she was surprised when she felt a weak grip on her hand. She looked at Lex's face; he looked terribly pale, but his lips were moving. A fireman made room for her to get up near his head.

Lana shushed him. "No don't try to talk."

She smoothed his forehead; like her aunt used to do for her when she was sick, or scared. Lex's mouth continued to move, so Lana leaned in to hear him.

"Its better this way; I won't lose anymore people I love…" Lex rasped out.

Lex's pain filled thoughts reminded him of the dream he had; the dream were his mother showed him how life married to Lana would be. Seeing her die when she gave birth to his daughter was more then he could stand. Right then he made a decision to pull away from his friends to save them from the wrath of his curse. Better them hate him and be alive, and like him and be dead. Lex felt himself fading; he was looking into Lana's crystalline eyes. They were kind and gentle eyes; his mother had the same eyes. He felt himself floating in those eyes; it was like gliding into eternity.

Lana shook her head. "Don't talk like that, you'll be OK."

Lana looked up at him and saw that his eyes were locked on hers. His gaze though was distant; then slowly his eyes crossed slightly, and rolled up. His grip on Lana's hand loosened and released.

"We're losing him!" The paramedic called out.

The heart monitor whined as Lex flat lined. He was whisked into the waiting ambulance; the paramedics trying to restart his heart. A fire fighter hopped into the driver's seat and took off towards the hospital.

Lex had just died right in front of her; his heart was no longer beating. Lana couldn't accept it; she could not wrap her mind around it. This was not supposed to happen; Lex was no stranger to bodily harm. Lana tried to recount the numerous blows to the head he had received in the few years she had known him. It was like he had an irresistible charm that attracted injuries and women. Each time though, he had recovered and moved on.

Lana cried openly. "No! No! He can't be dead."

A second set of paramedic arrived just in time to catch Lana as she fainted.

Clark bristled as Lana broke away from him and his Father, and went to Lex's side. When he saw that she was OK; he wanted to wrap her up in his arms. She was pre-occupied though sitting at Lex's side. He had a lot to tell her, but now was hardly the time. She looked so fragile right now, like a porcelin doll. He rushed to her side when she fainted. She was loaded up into a separate ambulance and rushed to the hospital too since Clark was not family he was not allowed to ride with her.

Jonathan loaded up his son into the truck; the ride into Smallville was wrought with uncomfortable silence.

"D…Dad why were you out here." Clark asked.

Jonathan shrugged. "I'll tell you later. Son, did anyone see you speed to the scene?"

Clark somberly nodded. "I think Lana saw me. It's OK though, I wanted her to know. I need her to know my secret."

Jonathan sighed and continued to drive. He'd tell Clark later about the gift from Lex; his son needed to know. Martha had insisted he go out tonight to thank the young Luthor; he just hoped there would be a Lex to thank after all this."

Clark meditated on what just happened: Had what Lana said been true? Did Lex save her? Usually that was his job, he saved everyone. He had made a decision to rewind time; he had saved his Father, but at what cost. Jor-ei requested a life, and he had almost gotten Lana. Lex had intervened; and offered up his life instead. Clark's super hearing picked up the whine of the heart monitor as the ambulance had sped away. Lex was still flat lined when the ambulance disappeared from sight. Would Jor-ei be satisfied now? Lex was not really a loved one, more like an acquaintance. These thoughts brought up the memories of his friendship with Lex; Lex had always been like a big brother to him back then. These were good memories; these recollections, the Lex he could never give up on. Clark caught himself wondering if he had made the right decision because it was too late to have a take back.