Title: Vulnerable

Author: Ashley Graham

Rating: K+ -Just to be safe…there is some swearing and a bit of blood…

Summary: Who exactly found Clark in the middle of the road in Hidden, after he was shot? This is an AU version of what I wish had happened…Hints of a future CLIOS relationship, nothing too obvious since Clark is with Lana at this point in time.

Authors Note: Please, keep in mind that this is slightly AU from the actual series, not by much, just a smidge! Please leave some more wonderful reviews and have a safe and happy holiday!

Vulnerable

Chapter 3: Shock

Unknown Location

"Gabriel…you have to stop this and let me go…Clark, Clark could d-die out there…" Chloe said desperately as she worked her hands furiously behind her back. Her captor hadn't done a very good job at the knots, and she could already feel them loosening.

"I can't stop it, Chloe. This has to be done…I thought you'd understand!" The obviously distraught teen snapped at her as he continued to type on the keyboard.

Chloe felt tears falling down onto her cheeks, and she said brokenly, "Please Gabriel, Clark needs help…at least let me call 911 so they know where to find him…" The image of her best friend falling to his knees, blood dribbling out of his mouth as he stared at her, kept replaying in her mind.

I need to help Clark, oh god I can't let him die...

"It won't matter, Chloe! This place is going to be history in less than 10 minutes, and all of the meteor freaks will be gone with it." Gabriel explained, a maniac gleam in his eyes.

"You're going to kill hundreds of innocent people just to get rid of a few meteor freaks?" Chloe asked incredulously. She didn't pay attention to his answer as she continued to loosen the rope around her wrists, only hearing snatches of his explanation.

How could his father ask him to kill him? How could someone do that to their child? She thought sadly, No wonder Gabriel is so messed up!

Finally, she felt the rope fall away from her raw wrists, and she quietly rose from her seat and grabbed the metal rod that lay by the chair. As smoothly as possible, Chloe brought up the heavy object and swung it towards Gabriel's head.

He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

Chloe wasted no time, and she immediately sat in the chair and started to type furiously. Come on, come on…please…She thought to herself pleadingly, she was an experienced computer hacker…and if Gabriel could get into this system, then she could too.

The sound of a gun clicking caused the blonde to freeze, and her heart began to beat faster when Gabriel, who had obviously recovered from the blow to his head, said quietly, "I guess I was wrong about you."

Closing her eyes as the cold metal was pressed into her back, Chloe breathed in deeply. You can get out of this Chloe…the town and Clark need you

Smallville Memorial Center

The small group had been waiting for less than half an hour when the doctor entered the room.

Jonathan and Martha stood up immediately. "How is he?"

"We've managed to repair the damage done to his lung," The surgeon began, and, noticing the looks of relief on the group's faces, she cautioned, "It's still going to be touch and go for a while…he lost a lot of blood. All we can do now is wait."

"Can we see him?" Martha asked, her voice trembling.

The doctor shook her head and answered, "Not yet, he needs his rest. Give it about an hour or so first."

Martha sighed in disappointment, and the faces of everyone in the room fell.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kent, if you allow me access to Clark's medical records I can have a special team flown down here in less than five minutes. They have more resources to work with than these people." Lex said immediately after the doctor had left them.

Lana shot the billionaire a death glare, clearly believing that he wanted access to her boyfriend's confidential files for other reasons. He's completely normal, you idiot! She wanted to shout angrily.

Jonathan glanced at Martha before staring Lex up and down, regarding him silently. He could see a sincere worry for his son in the other mans eyes, but there was something else there too…desire.

"No, Lex. These doctors are perfectly capable of helping my son, they've done wonders in the past and I won't lose faith in them now."

Lex didn't try and change the farmers mind. "Of course, you must do what you think it right. If you'll excuse me, I have some things that need to be done. Please call me if there is any change...I'll be in touch." He replied, rising to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Lois asked, curious.

Lex frowned but answered truthfully, "I'm going to find out what exactly is going on with this missile silos, and I am going to see if I can offer any assistance in getting your cousin back safely, Miss. Lane."

Lois couldn't help but snort. "Really? And how do you plan to help?"

"I have money, Miss. Lane, and a lot of it. If they can locate this obviously angst ridden teen, I will offer him a major buyout in return for both Miss. Sullivan's safety and that of the towns." Lex replied smoothly before exiting the room, ignoring whatever Lois had retorted back.

Not long after Lex had left, Lana rose. "I'm going to go and get a coffee…I'll be back in a minute." She mumbled quietly before slipping through the door and into the hallway.

After nearly 10 minutes had passed, Lois started to feel suspicious about the younger girl's exact whereabouts. "Uhm, I'm going to go and try and wash up some more…" She said to the Kent's.

The two nodded quietly, and Lois couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. They obviously hadn't deciphered a word she had said. They're in shock, and who can blame them? She thought as she walked away from the distraught parents.

She walked by the bathroom briskly, and when she didn't see Lana by the coffee machine stationed nearby, she began to peek through windows and doors as she searched for Clark's room. Finally, after trying seven doors, she came across the one she was looking for.

Lois watched quietly as Lana stroked her boyfriend's hair, she was talking to him silently, her voice shaking as sobs wracked her small body.

"Lana…you shouldn't be in here." She finally said, causing the girl to jump guiltily from her chair.

"I, I needed to see him…" Lana said defensively.

Lois smiled slightly and replied, "I know you're worried, we all are…but you heard the doctor…" As she spoke she moved closer to the bed, her heart beating wildly when she looked at the farm boy.

He looked anything but himself, and even though the blood was secluded to a bandage on the lower part of his chest, she thought he looked just as bad as he had on the road. Tubes and IV lines were everywhere, as well as some monitors that kept an eye on his heart rate.

"Come on Lana, let's go back to his parents." She whispered, ripping her eyes away from the sight.

"O-okay…" Lana gave in, allowing Lois to gently lead her out of the room.

They were almost at the door when they heard a faint noise from behind them. Turning around, they both gasped in shock when they saw Clark staring at them wearily.

"Clark!" Lana exclaimed, rushing back to his bedside and kissing him on the forehead gently.

Lois smiled from over Lana's shoulder.

Clark smiled weakly at Lana before his eyes flicked up and over her shoulder, towards Lois.

"Hey there, Smallville."

The corners of Clark's mouth turned upwards as he smiled at the brunette. Then, suddenly, his eyes drooped and soon slid shut.

Lois, for the longest time in her life, felt her his stomach plumme to her feet as fear and panic took over her senses. Her and Lana stared in shock and horror when the heart monitor stopped showing a steady pulse. Alarms began to shriek wildly, and seconds later a group of nurses and doctors had rushed into the room.

"You two shouldn't be in here!" A nurse lectured as she pushed them away from Clark's bedside.

The two stood frozen by the door, watching in fascination as a defibulator suddenly appeared.

A voice over the P.A system was repeating over and over again, "CODE BLUE, ROOM 105, all available personal to room 105…CODE BLUE…"

"Oh my god, Smallville…come on, don't you die on me…" Lois breathed, her heart pumping wildly with fear as she watched his body arch when he was shocked. She had never in a million years thought how her life would turn upside down if Clark died. Please Clark, please…don't leave, please…

Lana was sobbing uncontrollably, leaning up against the doorframe for support.

The doctor shocked the teen again, and still there was no result. Finally, after shocking Clark another three times, she sighed in defeat and looked at her watch, clearly about to announce the time of death.

"No!" Lana screamed, rushing forward and gripping Clarks shoulders like her life depended on it.

Lois also rushed back into the room, shoving past a nurse that tried to hold her back. Tears had started to fall down her cheeks, but she didn't notice. She glared up at the doctor, "Try again, one more time!" She wasn't asking, she was ordering.

The doctor gave her a sympathetic look, but decided to try once more. She did believe that it was too late for her patient, but she decided to humor the distraught girls, if not for anything but their own sanity. "I'll try once more, but you need to clear the room, okay?" She said gently as she signaled for the paddles to be charged yet again.

The nurse by Clark's head quickly bagged him again, and attempted to force air into his starved lungs.

Lana and Lois watched, trembling, as the doctor yelled, "CLEAR!"

Clark's body arched once again, but this time, miraculously, a heart beat was detected.

"I've got a pulse!" One of the nurses shouted excitedly, his finger pointing to the heart monitor.

"Well I'll be damned…" The doctor murmured, shocked. She quickly snapped back into work mode and started rattling off orders. "I want him stabilized and moved to a location that's closer to the nurse's station…and would someone please get these girls out of here?"

Neither woman protested as they were lead away from the room, both of them still in shock about what had just taken place.

Soon, they found themselves back in the waiting room, looking dazedly at Martha and Jonathan.

"What happened?" Jonathan demanded as he stood, immediately noticing the tears on their cheeks and the faraway expressions they wore.

TBC

I know, all of you are wondering how Clark gets his powers back if he doesn't completely die…I'm not going to tell you! Hah hah, but I will say this...the story isn't over…

Hope you enjoyed the update!

Ashley