Yup, here's the Clark (finally). Sorry for the wait.

I've had some question about why Clark seems to be letting Lex work everything out at this point in the fiction. My answer to that is Clark's just lost his abilities, has seen the some of his friends murdered, and one of the two that didn't get murdered ended up betraying him. Clark's used to pulling no punches and this kind of fighting is different for him. He's also been in charge for a long time and (though I don't say it) is somewhat enjoying having not to worry about things for a change (this is addressed later in the story). Hope that answered your question!

Also, I'm withholding the next chapter until I get at least five reviews. Don't mean to be annoying, but if I feel like my stories aren't being read then I really don't see the point in posting them up. Besides, I like feedback.

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Clark saw her coming up the walk as he watched through the window. Whatever had been wrong with her must have been fairly minor, as long as you had medicine to cure it. There were so many things like that now, and they often caused deaths in the camps. Clark knew it had almost happened to him; it would have happened to him if Lex hadn't found him.

Her yellow hair, now falling a couple of inches passed her shoulders and down her back, glistened in the sun. He hadn't seen it do that in a long time. Apparently someone at the hospital had let her wash up.

She disappeared as she came up the walk, but her presence was announced by the knock on the door. Clark felt what could only be described as a tingle shoot through him. He'd missed her so much.

Lex didn't make any move to get the door, and Clark knew that to be because he wanted Clark to see Chloe first, not because Lex was a bad host. It was a move he was incredibly thankful for, especially when he flung open the door and a petite body flew into his arms. "I've missed you so much," she sobbed into his neck as he caught her.

She was so warm, so solid, so...alive. It felt so good to stand there, her feet a good foot off the ground as he held her tightly against his chest. He could feel her heart against his and the steady thump, thump, thump, was so incredibly reassuring.

"Chloe," he muttered against her. "I was so-so afraid that you were...dead."

Her tears were soaking his neck, and he wasn't positive that his eyes were dry either. "How Clark, how'd it happen?" she muttered, finally pulling away from him as he finally set her down. She stood against him, her arms still wrapped around him and her head on his chest while he kept his head protectively on top of her's. His arms continued to encircle her lightly, and after having her ripped from his arms by the aliens, he wasn't sure he'd ever want to let go again.

"Chloe, it was-Chloe, it was Lana."

Her body went ridged against his own. He thought her heart might even have skipped a beat. "L-Lana?"

"She sold you out," Lex's voice announced from behind them. Clark was secretly thankful, because he wasn't sure he'd have been able to explain, and he supposed Lex knew that. It had probably been why he'd cut into in the first place.

Chloe saw Lex from the first time. Clark was distinctly reminded of mongoose when it sites a predator. Clark could have sworn Chloe bristled as she pulled away from him. A stream of not so nice words flowed from her mouth as she glared at Lex.

"It's good to see you again, Chloe," he said casually, grinning at her reaction. Clark wondered if Chloe knew Lex was baiting her. He suspected she did, since, next to Lex, Chloe was one of the best at reading people that Clark had ever known.

"Clark?" she snapped, turning on him.

"Yes?" he asked, trying his best to remain calm and neutral. He'd never, ever, liked that look on her face—the one that told him he was in some serious trouble.

"What the hell?"

Very, eloquently put, Chloe, very eloquently put. "He…helped me." He really didn't want to go into the details of that, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth he knew he'd have to.

"Helped you?" she echoed, looking confused.

Clark sighed. He'd never needed saving before, at least not to this degree, so he supposed it would come as a slight shock to Chloe. "Yes," he said softly. "I'd be dead if he hadn't."

Horror flooded her face and confusion sprung into her eyes, accompanied by tears. "I was so sure that you would have escaped, and when I ended up in the hospital I thought you'd saved me again. What happened, Clark?" she whispered, the tears spilling over and down her cheeks.

"I don't have my abilities, Chloe. You know that," he said softly, and his voice sounded far away, even to him. "I ended up in one of those prison camps."

Chloe swallowed and visibly tried to compose herself. Clark was thankful when she was able to, because if she'd hadn't been able to he wasn't sure he would have either. "What about Pete? Have you found him yet?"

Clark ran a hand through his hair. How do you tell someone that one of their best childhood friends was dead, betrayed by yet another childhood friend? Chloe had lived with Lana; had been Lana's roommate. Betrayal just didn't seem possible.

"He's-he's dead, Chloe."

"Oh my gosh," she choked out, covering her hand with her mouth as the tears began to fall. Just like when Lois had died, Clark thought. He didn't think he could handle that again. "Lana-?"

Clark stepped forward and hugged her again, aware that he was crying as well. If she wasn't being strong he didn't have to be either. He couldn't be. He spared a glance at Lex's face and was only mildly surprised to see the sympathy with which Lex was regarding Chloe, as well as himself.

It was a bittersweet reunion, and he wished Pete had been there to share it.

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Chloe had gotten control of her emotions at long last. Not that Clark blamed her—he hadn't been in control of his either. Lex had suggested that Chloe share a room with Clark, and he hadn't been about to turn that down.

He didn't know where Lex had turned up underwear for a girl, but he certainly appreciated that, not to mention Lex's taste in it, either. Chloe looked unbelievably hot. Then again, he was pretty sure she could have worn a paper bag and looked incredibly hot.

He hadn't really slept with her in a bed for the longest time. Sure, they'd slept on blankets and maybe even a worn mattress if they were really lucky, but not a bed. It felt unbelievably good.

She seemed to almost glide out of the bathroom in that distinctly Chloe way. She contained so much grace in her steps, but also an element that demonstrated her confidence as well. It was one of the many things Clark loved about her.

She joined him on the bed, and the pair of gray sweatpants he was wearing suddenly felt far too hot. They needed to come off, as did the shirt. Then he remembered the tattoo.

He didn't want Chloe to see it. She didn't have one, Lex had said. It was a mark of...subjugation, and he didn't want her to think of him like that. He swallowed hard and inched down against the bed as she came to sit next to him.

She had a predatory grin on her face which mingled with love and want. Clark liked that looked, and despite himself he found he was beginning to sweat. She gently reached over and ran a hand across his abs, pressing slightly. "I've missed you," she whispered, her tone more than just a little seductive.

Then she leaned forward to kiss him.

"I've missed you too," he mumbled into her lips. Her lips were so soft and warm, and he felt like he was falling, falling, falling.

Her hand slipped into his shirt and pulled up, a silent plea for him to take off his shirt. He tried to ignore it at first, just kissing harder, and at first it worked. Then she tried again a few minutes later. He tried to delay her again, but this time she pulled back, a look of confusion and slight good-natured annoyance on her face.

"I don't care if you've lost weight or something, Clark," she said seriously. "Just take your shirt off."

He swallowed heavily. "Are you sure?"

She laughed in disbelief. "Am I sure? Am I sure that I want to see you with your shirt off?" She snorted softly. "Yes, Clark, I'm sure."

He couldn't delay it any longer, he realized. And he really didn't want to miss out on this his first night back with her, anyway. Just swallow your pride, a voice in his head said. Easier said than done, he thought as he stripped the offending article of clothing off.

Once it was off, he immediately pushed himself down against the bed, hiding the sight of it. She seemed satisfied, and draped herself on top of him, their kissing continuing.

Clark hadn't thought that he'd feel anything like it again. For a moment the pain of betrayal and the ever-present thoughts of death seemed further away. This warm, beautiful body in his arms represented life, and surely death couldn't be at their door in the midst of this, could it?

His ethereal distortion of reality was shattered when she slipped a hand under his back, moving high towards his shoulder blade. She didn't even suspect, he realized, but he couldn't help himself from flinching away.

She rolled off his and sat up. "Alright, Clark, what's wrong?"

"I-nothing," he lied, pulling her back down for a kiss, but burying his shoulder deeper into the pillow.

As soon as he shifted his shoulder she gasped into his mouth and pulled away. "Let me see your shoulder, Clark," she said softly, her voice firm and her eyes bright and discerning. "Now."

She was as bad as Lex with her commanding looks, and Clark might as well have been butter. "Chloe-"

"Now." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and her lips thinned.

Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, Clark sat up and let her look. Her indrawn breath was very subtle, but Clark heard it. It cut through him like a knife.

"Oh, Clark-" she whispered, raising her hand to trace the mark.

"When I was in the camps," he muttered, feeling suddenly very ashamed.

She stopped touching it and came around to sit next to him. With all the tenderness she possessed she reached over and turned his head so that he was looking at her. "Why did you think you couldn't tell me?"

"I was ashamed, Chloe," he said seriously. "Lex told me that you never received it, and, well, you know what it's a mark of, don't you?"

"I couldn't care less," she said seriously. "It's only a mark of slavery if you're a slave, which you're clearly not. By the way, how did Lex get you out of that camp?"

"He didn't," Clark said truthfully. "He got me out of a marketplace."

Her pretty eyes widened slightly and she pursed her lips. She gave a slight nod to show that she understood, but, as good an actress as she was, she couldn't hide all of her shock. "He bought you."

"In a matter of legality, yes."

"Let's talk about it later," she suggested suddenly, staring up into his eyes. After another moment she leaned up for a kiss.

He'd never loved her more than at that moment. Talking later seemed like a very good idea.