A/N: Direct quotes from 2x17, Rosetta. I only keep posting these notes to sort of "cite" my sources, and because I'm guessing some of you like keeping track of where I'm at in the series, especially for the chapters where it's not obvious.

Chapter 34 - The Caves

Lex was halfway to the Kent farm when he spotted someone out on the road ahead.

He only just managed to skid to a stop before his car reached the cowering figure. He jumped out of the car, ready to start in on apologies or excuses or questions, depending on the look on the person's face, but then he recognized him.

"Clark?"

Clark jumped to his feet. "How did I get here?"

Lex blinked. "Funny, I was just going to ask you that."

Clark squinted in the bright headlights.

"Make him answer."

Lex ignored the voice. It wasn't hard. After having worried about Clark during his illness, the affection he felt for the boy he'd once considered a brother far overwhelmed any lingering anger. He put an arm around Clark to steady him. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home."

Clark nodded and let Lex help him to the passenger door.

"You okay? You're not hurt?" Lex asked as they drove.

"I'm fine," Clark said, and his face clouded over in the same way it always had when he'd been hiding something.

Lex swallowed and tried to focus on the road. "Do your parents know where you are?"

"No," Clark said softly.

"What were you doing out there?"

"I . . . sleepwalking."

The affectionate feelings died away suddenly. "Thought you weren't going to lie to me anymore."

"It's not a lie." He sighed. "I know it's not the whole truth, but it's not a lie. I'm not going to lie to you anymore."

"See if you can get him to let something slip."

"Does this have anything to do with the caves?" Lex asked.

Clark stiffened.

"Way to go. Could you have been more obvious about it?"

Lex was silent. He'd blown his opportunity, and they had almost reached the house.

"Say something, he's about to leave!"

Lex clenched his teeth as he pulled up to the house. "Are your parents going to be upset?"

"I hope not." Clark unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to Lex. "You could always come back for dinner tomorrow night and find out."

Lex stared at his hands on the steering wheel. He could. He'd get to see them again, like he wanted so badly, and he could ask them questions, see if he could get them to let on anything they knew.

"They'll see through you. They'll talk you out of investigating, they'll lie to you."

"We miss you," Clark said softly. "Mom cries a lot, but I guess that's partly because of the pregnancy."

"Pregnancy?" Lex couldn't keep his surprise contained. He didn't know exactly how old Mrs. Kent was, but he wouldn't have guessed she would be trying for a baby.

"We only found out last week." Clark grinned. "I'm going to have a brother or sister."

Something about that comment hit Lex hard. The Kents were going to have another child. He wondered if they'd lie to their real child the way they had lied to Lex. The thought that they might lie to the child hurt; the thought that they might tell him the truth hurt even more.

"My parents would love to see you," Clark said. "Can you come by tomorrow?"

Lex shook his head. "Meetings at the plant."

"Okay. Maybe another day."

"Maybe." He was going to say sure, but he decided against lying.

Clark sighed and stepped out of the car. "Where were you headed, anyway?"

Lex breathed in to tell him the whole truth, but found he couldn't do it. Seeing Clark again had reminded him all too vividly what the lies felt like. "It doesn't matter anymore. What matters is you're home safe."

Clark sighed and closed the door behind himself.

The next day, a guard approached Lex on his way to the caves. "There's been an explosion, sir."

"What happened?"

"We're still trying to figure that out. We're recommending you stay clear until—"

Lex ignored the rest of the guard's speech and stepped past him, jogging down into the caves. A crumpled figure laid on the ground. Lex didn't have to look to know who it was.

He rushed over, kneeling down. Clark didn't appear to be bleeding anywhere, but if there really had been an explosion, there was no way he would be uninjured.

Lex gently shook Clark's shoulder. "Clark, are you okay?"

"Lex. What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. What were you doing down here?"

Clark looked up at the cave walls. He seemed to be looking for something. Then he stood. "I was just finishing up some work for Dr. Walden, I figured I'd do it while it was quiet. The next thing I know, you're shaking me awake."

"The guard said there was an explosion. You didn't touch any equipment, did you?" Lex didn't think Dr. Walden was using anything dangerous or explosive, but he couldn't think of anything else that would have caused an explosion at all.

"I find it interesting that you managed to get around the guard in the first place." Dr. Walden had just arrived. He kept his eyes on Clark. "What's your secret, Mr. Kent?"

So Clark hadn't been doing work for Dr. Walden. Another lie. Lex wanted to join Dr. Walden in his questions, but Clark really didn't look good, and he'd passed out in the explosion. "Back off, Doctor," Lex said. "Can't you see he's been hurt?"

"I'm okay," Clark said. "I just need to get some air."

Lex followed him out of the cave. "Clark, first I find you lying in the middle of the road and now here. I really think you should get to the hospital."

"Lex, I'm fine. I just gotta get home before my parents start to worry."

Lex shook his head. "You know, your dad said you weren't going to lie to me anymore."

"I'm not lying."

Lex's jaw pulsed. "Doing work for Dr. Walden?"

Clark sighed. "Sorry, old habits. I might not have actually talked to Dr. Walden about what I was doing."

The darkness chimed in: "You actually trusted these people."

"I'm sorry. Look . . ." Clark winced. "Okay, I know a little about the caves. But even if I could tell you what I know, I don't think it would help you very much."

"Can you read the symbols?"

"No."

"Are you lying again?"

"No! I told you, Lex, I'm not going to lie to you!"

As far as Lex knew, that wasn't Clark's usual dishonest voice, but Lex really had no idea how to tell anymore. He sighed. "Go home, Clark. Get some rest."

Clark gave him a sad look. "Come with me."

"I've got to work."

"Please, Lex. Mom misses you."

Longing filled him. It was a sharp pain. With effort, he said, "Maybe later."

Clark sighed heavily and walked away, and Lex returned to the caves.

Lex dropped by the Talon later that day. Lana's presence was refreshing and kept the darkness quiet, and he made a habit of supporting her as often as he could, but most of the reason he came today was because he knew Clark would stop by at some point. It seemed that his darkness was much more interested in keeping Lex away from the Kent parents than Clark. Clark might let some useful information slip, while his parents were much more likely to lure Lex back into a false sense of security.

Clark was already there when Lex arrived at the Talon. He was sitting at a table and scribbling something on a piece of paper. As Lex walked toward the front register, Clark crumpled up the paper he was writing on and tossed it toward a trash can. He missed.

Lex waited until he was gone, then went over and picked it up.

Cave symbols.

Anger and pain surged through him. Unless Clark had miraculously discovered an ability to read and write in the cave's language since he and Lex had last talked, Clark had lied to him again. All the while promising never to do so.

"You idiot."

Lex folded the crinkled paper carefully and shoved it into his pocket. He kept his jaw set and his back straight.

"YOU IDIOT!"

He swallowed hard, consciously reminding himself not to flinch.

"No more playing around, Lex. You're letting me take over the investigations."

He knew he wasn't going to win this argument. He put his hands in his pockets and headed out of the Talon.

"I'm going to steal that medical file from when Martha was sick. No more secrets. We're solving this once and for all."

"Okay," Lex mouthed. He turned to leave the Talon, even though he had just arrived.

He was done fighting. He just wanted the pain to stop. Learning the truth was his only shot at making that happen.