Clark wearily shut the truck off and removed the key. He had just dropped off Pete and Chloe at their houses. We couldn't believe how tired he felt. He thought he could sleep for a whole day. He knew he used adrenaline as an excuse for some of the things he did, but today that had been all he had been going on when he stepped into the study.
At the thought of what happened in the study his thoughts turned to Lex and everything that had happened over the past few days. They had all stayed at the mansion a little while to make sure Lex was okay. He appeared to be fine physically; the gash on his arm was now gone. Clark assumed it was healed when the two versions joined together. As far as what Lex's memory went, Clark wasn't sure. Lex kept saying he was fine, just felt a little fuzzyheaded. He said he couldn't remember what had happened, but Clark still wasn't so sure.
Clark just sat alone in the truck looking out through the darkness at the farm. He didn't know if he had ever been so glad to be home, but he was hesitant to go inside. He knew that feeling all too well. It was the same feeling he had had when he came home from his self-imposed exile to New York. He caused his parents so much grief and worry. He knew they were going to just as worried now when he went inside. In a way it also made him feel good to know that his parents cared enough about him to be worried. It was an odd mixture of warmth and guilt flowing through him.
Clark finally exited the truck careful to close the door quietly. He walked to the door seeing the kitchen and living room lights on. Mom was probably doing supper while dad looked at the newspaper. Clark reached the door and the first thing he could smell was a roast cooking in the oven. He enjoyed the smell for a moment before walking inside.
Martha looked up from fixing the salad when she heard the door open and nearly gasped when she saw Clark and how paled he looked. "Clark! We were so worried about you." She rushed over and hugged him, the impact causing him to sway slightly. Martha couldn't help the worried look that crossed her face at this. "Are you okay? We tried to call the school, Chloe's house and Pete's house. Nobody knew where you were."
Jonathan had also seen the slight sway and was now as his son's side. Clark looked up at both of them, putting his arms around them. "I'm okay just a little tired" Martha shot him a glance telling him she wasn't buying it. "alright… a lot tired. But, I just need some rest then I'll be fine."
"Sweetie, what happened?" Clark really didn't want to tell them all the details and worry them more and was saved for the moment by a slight burning smell. "Mom, I think supper is burning."
"The roast! I'd forgotten all about
it!" Martha dashed over to the oven, quickly removing the dish from
the heat. As she placed it on top of the oven she saw that the top
looked only slightly seared and it was still edible, just possibly a
little tough. "It looks fine to me, mom."
Martha smiled up at
Clark. She was slightly disappointed it wasn't going to be as good
as she hoped, but she wasn't going to let it show. "Okay, I think
we're ready to eat now. Then you can tell us about it, if you're
up to it."
Clark nodded. He knew he would feel better once he had eaten and he knew putting off the conversation would just make them worry more.
"You mean there were two Lex Luthors?" Jonathan asked incredulous. "One is bad enough."
Clark nodded before taking another swig of tea. "Yeah, the evil twin version was the one that kidnapped Chloe."
"And hurt you" Martha added.
"So how much of all this does Lex remember, son?" Jonathan asked. Clark could hear the worry in his father's voice.
"That's the thing. I don't know. He said he doesn't remember anything." Clark answered uncertainty etched across his face.
"You don't believe him?" Jonathan looked at his son with a raised eyebrow. Clark normally defended Lex, but that was before the recent turn of events.
"I just don't know what to believe. I know that the person who did this was another person and not really Lex, but I just can't help but think that may be some part of him like that. But, he did help Chloe and Pete to find me."
"Find you? Son what do you mean by 'find you'?"
Clark winced inwardly. He didn't want to tell them that part of the story, but with his slip of the tongue he knew he had to go forward now. "My rescue of Chloe and Lex didn't exactly go as planned."
"Clark, what happened?" Jonathan asked in a cautious tone.
"Let's just say I had a long day, but everything worked out and it's fine now." Clark saw the worried looks on his parent's face and hoped they wouldn't push any further on this. "You don't have to worry no one found out anything."
Martha looked over at Jonathan and he held
the same worried expression on his face as she did. She wanted to
know about what had happened, but could tell that Clark didn't want
to talk about it. She reached over and put her hand over Clark's
much larger one. "I think that enough for tonight I can tell your
exhausted. Why don't you go on up to bed?"
Clark sighed
relieved. He got and slowly made his way to the stairs. He decided to
take a quick shower before falling into bed. His head hadn't been
on the pillow no time before he was asleep.
Martha was worried and taking out on the baked on mess that was still on the pan the roast was cooked on. "If you scrub that pan any harder you're going to have a hole in it." Jonathan gave her a wry smile.
"Did you see him sway some when I hugged him, Jonathan? What happened to him?"
Jonathan's face turned serious, but tried to remaining reassuring and not shows his worry. "Yeah, I did. But, he said he was just tired and no one found out anything. I'm sure after a good night's rest he'll be fine." He reached a supportive arm around her kissing her softly on the forehead. Martha smiled up at him slightly, hopeful but still concerned.
Clark slept late the next morning, but wasn't really surprised that his parents didn't wake him. His mom, like usual, had cooked an enormous breakfast. She had kept a very close watch over him, making sure he ate enough. She was very close to hovering over him as if he was a little kid again. But, he couldn't blame her for feeling a little overprotective lately.
He had spent the day just relaxing around the farm. He had offered to help with the chores but had gotten a stern look from her in return. So, he was now relaxing in the loft just looking out over the farm while basking in the sun's warm glow. His musing where interrupted when he heard someone coming up the wooden stairs.
He turned to see Chloe appearance at the entrance to the loft. "Hi! How are you feeling?"
"Much better," Clark gave her that charming smile that made her want to melt and she couldn't help to smile back at me.
'I came by to check on you." Chloe made her way over to the couch sitting down easily on it. "I'm to report back to Pete what I find out. He couldn't come because he's got another hot date." Chloe shook her head at the thought as Cark got up from his resting place to sit beside her.
"I mean, how does he do it?" She turned to him her face showing her puzzlement.
Clark couldn't help but let out a laugh at the thought of his friend. "He's fearless."
"So, speaking of dates. How about we try ours again since the last one ended so horribly?"
Clark's face
turned serious. "I'm sorry about that."
Chloe became angry
at him. She should have known he would think that was he fault and
blame himself for it. "Clark Kent I am not going to let you feel
bad or take the blame for that."
"But…..if you hadn't been with me then you wouldn't….." he tried to plead his case with her but she cut him off.
"He would have come after me anyway." She spoke more calmly her anger beginning to subside some. "You know I have a tendency to get myself into trouble without any help from you."
Clark looked at her for a moment before a wry smile crossed his face. "You do have a point there."
Chloe couldn't help but smile since she had won the battle of wits.
Clark gave Chloe his best apologetic look. "I'd really like to try that again,"
Chloe looked at quizzically. "Why do I since a 'but' coming?"
"But, I don't think my parents are going to let me off the farm and out of there sight anytime soon."
Chloe felt slightly deflated then undeterred. "Well, then I guess we'll just have to rent a movie and watch it here." She lighted tapped his leg. "I'll even let you pick the movie."
"Any movie I want?" Clark asked as a mischievous smile spreading across his face.
"Yeah, but if it's something truly awful I get veto power."
"Agreed."
Chloe and Clark both turned at the sound of another visitor coming up the steps. Lex's slender frame then appeared at the top of the stairs. Clark turned his attention from Lex back to Chloe "Chloe, get the new Star Wars movie."
"Okay, "she stood up and greeted Lex.. She tried to remain perky when she saw him, but Lex could tell she was now more wary of him than she had in the past. "Hi, Lex." She then turned back to Clark. "I'll be back in a little while."
"Hi, Chloe." Lex waited for a moment letting Chloe get past before addressing Clark. "Movie night?"
"Yeah, since our first date got interrupted and I don't think my parents will let me out of their sight with everything that happened Chloe's getting a movie." Clark let the comment hang in the air to see what reaction Lex would have.
"Clark, I feel like I owe you an apology but I'm not sure what for." Clark looked Lex straight in the eye. He seemed to be genuine, but he wasn't sure.
"Do you still not remember what happened?" Clark asked unsure, hopeful that his one-time friend would not lie to him.
"I have small bits and pieces that are all jumbled up, but nothing concrete really." Lex could tell Clark was trying to decide if he believed him or not. He wasn't offended by the lack of faith given the past events. "Is there anyone else that I need to apologize to? Did I –I mean he- hurt anyone?"
"You should probably apologize to Chloe." Clark answered. "He really wasn't hurt. He was scared pretty badly. She got caught in the middle of something and was used as a pawn."
"That would explain the less than enthusiastic greeting I received." Lex gave a small glance over at the entrance to the loft where Chloe had left a little earlier. "I'll be sure to do that if she returns before I leave; if not please pass my apology on to her."
Clark nodded slightly. "Sure thing."
"I did learn one thing during all this." Lex turned his gaze back towards Clark.
"What's that?"
"Some things should be left alone."
Clark was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I was trying to push the envelope and have science go farther than it has ever gone. I ended up putting people in harm's way. I don't know how I would have faced your parents if something had happened to you because of me."
"Lex, I thought you went by the motto of going farther no matter the consequence?"
"I'm still going to try and help modern science along, just not at the expense of others. I'm not trying that project again."
A smile spread across Clark's face. "I'm glad to hear that."
Chloe appeared at the top of the stairs again. "Sorry, they were out of Star Wars, so I got Batman Begins."
Lex turned to Clark and shook his
head at his choice of movies. "Well, I won't take up any more of
your time."
Chloe waited until he was out of earshot. "So,
what did he say?"
"He still doesn't remember, but he says he's not going to try the experiment again." Clark looked at her and she could see the uncertainty on his face.
"Do you think he remembers at your, you know, Clarkness?"
Clark had to smile at the way Chloe phrased her question. "I don't know, but he said something that was interesting."
"What was that?"
"Some things are better left alone"
"Lex Luthor – I don't ever let anything go- Lex Luthor said that." Chloe was dumbfounded.
"Yeah."
"Wow." Chloe seemed to be almost speechless.
"Since you don't have anything else to say. Let's go watch the movie."
Chloe narrowed her eyes at him momentarily before getting up to go inside with him.
THE END
