Clark woke up around ten AM the next morning to see Lex still slumped, asleep, in the arm chair. He laughed softly as he wondered just how many people ever got to see Lex Luthor relaxed enough to let his guard down. He knew the number was certainly small and probably capable of being counted on one hand.

As if he knew Clark was watching him, Lex opened his eyes. When he saw Clark looking at him he chuckled. "Was I drooling?"

"No, it's just strange to see you..."

"Relax?" Lex finished for him.

Clark nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm only human, Clark. Not all of us can do what you do."

Clark looked as though he were thinking hard about something. "I don't even know if I have to sleep, Lex. I think I do, because I get tired when I don't."

"Clark, you're not that different from being human. In fact you're human, just more...super."

That elicited a laugh from Clark. "Yeah, Lex, I'm Superman."

Lex grinned slightly, but his eyes revealed that he was laughing on the inside. "Do you want some breakfast?"

Clark nodded and smiled. "Yeah, eating still remains one of my favorite things."

Clark hoisted himself out of bed and followed Lex as they left the room. Waffles sounded pretty good to him right about then.

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Jason hadn't expected it to be so easy. Luthor was a billionaire after all. Couldn't he actually afford security that kept people out?

Apparently not, because it had been ridiculously easy to get in. The hard part would be finding the hidden room that he'd heard the Kents talk about before someone could actually stop him-someone like Lex.

That worry lessened when he heard Lex's voice in the kitchen saying something about waffles. It ceased to exist when he heard Clark Kent's voice answer him.

This was going to be too easy.

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"Ever made waffles, Lex?" Clark asked as they walked into the kitchen.

Lex looked at him like he was crazy. "Clark, I've got a whole army of servants to do things like that. If you want waffles they can make them."

Clark shook his head. "Nope, you're going to learn the delicate art that is cooking waffles."

Lex rolled his eyes, but strangely enough found that he was willing to indulge his friend. With a good natured laugh, he easily said, "Alright, go ahead and educate me."

That immediately sent Clark off searching for a waffle iron until Lex pointed out that Clark didn't have to hide his powers from him anymore and that he could simply scan the cupboards for it. Clark gave him a sheepish grin but proceeded to take his advice, resulting in the finding of the waffle pan a lot quicker than it would have previously taken.

Once he got the pan out he asked Lex lightly, "Do you want chocolate chips in the waffles?"

Lex laughed. "I don't think I'd be having the waffle experience if I didn't."

Clark laughed as well. "We can't have that. I think I'll make some extra since Chloe should be here soon as well. Lana's picking her up."

Clark was heading to get the bag of chocolate chips when the door suddenly flew open. Both he and Lex spun around to face the intruder. Jason stood in the doorway, a gun in his hand.

---------------------------------

Lex quickly stepped in front of Clark when he caught sight of Jason. "Jason, put the gun down," he told him calmly. Lex's tone was calm and even, but Clark knew that a tone like that only meant Lex was scared out of his mind. Lex, unlike other people, handled fear by being calm and rational.

Jason laughed bitterly. "You've got to be kidding me." He looked over Lex's shoulder at Clark and yelled, "Last chance Kent! Tell me where the stones are!"

"Jason, you're sick. I can get you help," Lex said in an attempt to placate him.

Jason laughed again and waved his gun before cocking it. "Why are you so desperate to protect this kid, Lex? He could be the answer to your wildest dreams as well as mine! I mean, he's got the stones. Money, power, knowledge-it's all within our grasp!"

Lex swallowed heavily as he felt Clark shift fearfully behind him. "Some things are more important," he replied quietly.

Jason's expression turned incredibly dark. "Yeah? Alright then. Is whatever it is that's making you protect him-is it more important than your life?"

Slowly, as if time had nearly stopped, Jason's gun was turned on Lex. "I'm gonna give you one chance, Luthor. Step aside and let me take him now, and I'll leave you among the living."

Lex paled, but didn't move. "Lex-" Clark said softly from behind him.

"No," he replied decisively after a moment. He shook his head and put up his hands. "No," he repeated.

"Lex, you can't-It's not going to do any good."

Without taking his eyes off of Jason, Lex said, "Run. Get out of here, Clark."

Jason smirked. "You think I wasn't prepared for that possibility? Kent, there's a meteor rock right outside this door, as well as others scattered around the perimeter of this mansion. You'd never get out without being stopped. The only choice you've got now is whether you come quietly and get your friend out of the way or let him die for no reason at all."

Clark swallowed fearfully. "Move, Lex," he told his friend softly.

"No," Lex told him, holding Clark's gaze. Clark stood his ground and went to walk passed Lex. Lex grabbed his shirt and held him there for a second. The second seemed incredibly sort, because they both knew that Lex couldn't physically stop Clark.

There was something akin to pain in Clark's eyes as he used his strength to pull away from Lex and move toward Jason. Jason turned and ushered Clark through the door with a wave of his hand.

Lex stood rooted to the floor in the kitchen. He was watching Clark walk out. Clark was willingly going back to the Hell he'd been in, or rather he was rational enough to realize that he'd be going. The only choice he had was whether Lex would be alive when he went or not.

But Lex couldn't let it happen. He couldn't knowingly let his friend walk back into that.

Before he even knew what he was doing, he was running forward and tackling Jason just as he and Clark had stepped through the door. He expected the muffled grunt Jason made when he hit the ground. He had, however, forgotten about the Kryptonite at the door.

Clark crumpled in a heap. The second Lex spared to look at Clark cost him as Jason took advantage of it to shove Lex off him and deliver a punch to his face before scrambling for the gun.

Lex snapped back into reality and grabbed Jason's coat, yanking him back and bringing a knee to his gut. Jason grunted and yelled, "Son of a Bitch!" Both swung around to face each other, their eyes periodically darting towards the gun on the floor. Both knew whoever came up with the gun would come out on top.

Jason lunged first and Lex caught him, slamming him around into the wall and making another bid for the gun on the floor. It failed when Jason didn't fall from the blow and kicked him in the face, sending him backwards. Blood began to flow and he couldn't see from the pain in his nose. The ominous sound of gun being picked up off the floor could be heard.

Lex didn't even attempt to stem the flow of the blood as his vision cleared. He didn't think his nose was broken, but it really was a moot point since he was probably about to get shot. Once his vision completely cleared he looked up to see Jason holding him at gun point again.

As quickly as he could he crawled over to Clark where he was laying beside the meteor rock. Clark moaned a little as Lex picked up the rock and threw it away from his friend. Clark took a moment to recover, but was able to sit up pretty quickly, immediatly taking a hold of his sleeve. Lex let him, even though he would have much preferred Clark make a break for it. Jason seemed to realize he was thinking along those lines, but instead of being angry, he only smiled. "It doesn't matter, Lex. There are dozens more in the mansion. He'd never make it out without your help."

Jason brought the gun even with his head. "And he's not going to have you to help him."

Lex squeezed his eyes shut and Clark's grip on his arm became almost painful. That was short lived because he opened his eyes again as he heard a soft thump on the floor and then felt Clark fall against him. His sight showed him that Jason had taken a rock out of a lead container that he'd had in his pocket and that he'd tossed it next to Clark.

"Couldn't have him interfering," Jason said softly. His finger began to pull back on the trigger and Lex shut his eyes again, clutching Clark. He hoped death wouldn't hurt.