Chapter Four

Clark awoke in the same bed as the last time. The monitor and other medical equipment had been removed. Once again, he was wearing the silk pajamas, but this time he saw a bracelet with a blue stone on his right wrist. Clark tried to take it off, but it seemed to be locked on.

"That needs to stay on for now." Lex said as he entered the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Slow. Heavy. Confused."

"That's understandable. Why don't we have breakfast and a nice chat?"

Clark didn't speak as Lex helped him sit up and then proceeded to put him in a silken robe that matched the pajama set perfectly. A cream-colored silken scarf was also put around his neck and then Lex helped him into a wheelchair and then afterwards silken slippers (also matching) were put on his feet.

"I can walk," Clark protested weakly.

"I want you to save your strength." Lex wheeled him to the opposite wall where there was a door that led to a small porch. A small table had been set up for breakfast. A chef removed two silver domes from their plates revealing a fillet of salmon covered in poached egg on top of an English muffin drizzled with hollandaise sauce. Seasoned potatoes filled the rest of the plate.

"Salmon Eggs Benedict." The chef announced.

Clark was too tired to say thank you, and luckily too tired to show his confusion. The idea of eating fish for breakfast was a foreign idea to him.

"Coffee?" Lex asked. Clark barely managed a nod but luckily Lex saw it. The two ate in silence. The food was good, even if it seemed strange to him. The entire time Clark was aware of Lex watching him.

"You admitted to being confused before," Lex said when they had finished eating. "I'll confess I'm confused as well. But I think I have something that could help." Lex pulled out the lead box he had given Clark last year. Lex had given it the day after he rescued Clark from being strung up like a scarecrow in the cornfield, an old Smallville High tradition. Clark had been weak enough for the football jocks to do it to him only because he had been weakened by Lana's necklace, made from a meteor rock which killed her parents. The necklace had been left behind in the field and Lex had luckily presented it to Clark in the box for him to return to her and be her hero. Unfortunately, things didn't work out that way.

"Do you recognize this?" Lex asked.

"Yeah. You gave it to me last year. But I gave it to Lana."

"Who's Lana?"

"Lana Lang. You two run…" The boy sighed in frustration and dread. Where did Lana go? What had happened to turn the world upside down?

"Well, I haven't given this to you yet. Mom picked it out when she was on a business trip with Lionel. It's said to be forged from the armor of St. George. Before he faced the dragon, he took a piece of broken armor to make this box and put all his doubts and fears inside. Then he faced the dragon again. Armor less. Fearless. And victorious."

Lex moved to where Clark was sitting and placed the open box in his hands. "I want you to put your fear in this box. All your doubts. Put all of it inside. No one is trying to harm you. No one wants to harm you. If anyone even tries, they will have to deal with me. I want to help you, so please talk to me without fear. Tell me what you think is going on. Whatever theory you have, no matter how senseless, I want to hear it. Okay?"

"Okay."

Lex shut the lid and put the box back on the table. "Your fear is gone. Locked away forever." Lex smiled and Clark couldn't help but smile back. "So, tell me the last thing you remember."

Clark shifted in his chair. "Well…I was in the kitchen. I felt a prick on the back of my neck and the next thing I knew, I woke up in some kind of shack with Lucas. I was tied to a chair. He was holding a gun to my head, and you were calling me Julian."

Lex nodded. "And what about that is confusing?"

"I'm not Julian. Lex, it's me, Clark. I don't understand why my dad let you take me back to the mansion. Or why Lucas abducted me." Or how he even did it.

"Well," Lex rubbed the back of his neck, "your legal name is Julian Luthor. As far as I can remember, you have been my little brother. Last year, you were abducted by Lucas. There was…an unfortunate accident. Lucas was killed. I received minor injuries, but you have been in a coma for that past year."

Clark felt cold despite being in the sun. "No. That's not right."

"I can show you photos. Adoption papers. What do you need?"

A knock on the patio door interrupted them.

"Lex. Julian," Dr. Hamilton said.

"What do you want?" Lex asked. He seemed really annoyed.

"I thought I'd check in on how Julian was doing. I never got to finish the check-up when he woke up yesterday."

"Not now, doctor."

Clark watched in silence as Dr. Hamilton left, clearly agitated. "Lex, how is Dr. Hamilton here?"

"What do you mean?"

"He died. Several months ago." Images of seeing Pete held hostage in Hamilton's garage sprang to his mind.

"Dr. Hamilton has been your private physician for your entire life. As you can see, he's not dead, and as far as I know he's in perfect health." Lex placed his hand on top of Clark's. "Is there any part of you that trusts me?"

Clark hesitated. He knew Lex was his friend, but their relationship was a little complicated. Clark had never been honest about his abilities. The day they met Clark had used his superstrength to save Lex from drowning after the young millionaire had driven his car into him off a bridge. Lex was always trying to find answers for that day. But he believed Lex would never hurt him to get those answers. "Yes."

Lex grinned a huge smile. "That's all that matters. If there's one thing I know, it's that the truth can never be destroyed. It can be bulldozed, lit on fire, and buried, but some shred of proof will always remain. If there's truth to you being Clark Kent, we'll find it. Together."