Chapter Seven

Clark had returned to the mansion fifteen minutes ago. He sat there in the huge garage, sobbing quietly in the darkness.

"Julian?" Lex's voice echoed through the garage.

Clark stayed silent, hoping Lex wouldn't find him. But in minutes, Lex was quietly rapping on the window. When there was no response, Lex opened the door and knelt down.

"Mr. Kent called. He wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you?"

"They don't want me." Clark sobbed out.

Lex pulled him out of the car to give him an engulfing hug. "Julian, listen to me; nothing here is your fault. Of course, they can't keep…well, raising a…" Lex's voice trailed off. "Julian, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry, I don't know how to make this better." He kissed Clark's forehead. "Let's get you inside, ok?"

Clark allowed Lex to lead him back inside. He recognized they were in the study, which was oddly comforting as it was more familiar to him than what was supposed to be his bedroom. The butler came in with a tray that held a steaming cup of hot cocoa and smaller dishes that held marshmallows, peppermint sticks, freshly whipped cream, and chocolate chips.

"Dominic?" Clark asked as he recognized the butler.

"Yes, Master Julian. So glad you remember me. And, to see you awake and well again."

Clark shook his head in disbelief. Gratefully he held the mug, savoring the warmth that came from it. He felt so cold. So empty.

Lex sat beside him on the sofa. "Any better?"

Clark sighed. "I just don't know what's real."

"I could tell you some facts. See what you remember. When you were little, Smallville was struck by a meteor shower. Sound familiar? Good. Lionel's scientists at LuthorCorp discovered that the meteorites had a, shall we say, unique effect on people."

Clark felt Lex staring at him intently, watching for his reaction. "Yeah, I remember some of those people. Tina Greer. Cassandra. Jeff."

"Jeff? Jeff Palmer?"

"That's not right?"

"No. Jeff, as far as I can tell, is a polite young man who lives here with his mother and helps out on occasion. Nothing extraordinary. You, on the other hand…" Lex's voice trailed off.

"What?"

"Do you remember doing anything uncommon for common man?"

Clark slammed the mug on the table and shot up to his feet. "Is that what this is about? All of this just to find out about the bridge? Well, fine!" Clark threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Yes! I'm stronger and faster than other people. You hit me with your car at sixty miles an hour and I was fine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you Lex, but I was scared."

Lex stood up with his hands outstretched. "Julian, calm down."

"It's over, Lex. I told you. You know now, so just give me my life back!"
"What do you expect me to do?"

"Make my parents remember me. What'd you do to them anyway?" Clark closed the distance between them and grabbed Lex by the shirt. "If you hurt them, Lex, I swear!"

"Julian. Where is your fear?" Lex spoke calmly.

Clark remembered the lead box and Lex telling him he wanted to help. Clark saying that he trusted Lex. And yet, all of this could just be a ploy Lex devised to wring out the truth. "Why should I trust you?"

"Why don't you? Let's start there."

"You're doing this. You caused all of it." Clark let go of Lex and took two steps back.

"All of 'it'? Let's see, by that you must mean wiping the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Kent having a son. Fixing a Porsche that had been destroyed and bringing Dr. Hamilton back from the dead. Got to say, I'm flattered." Lex smiled at Clark's confused look. "You must think I'm a supremely intelligent and powerful super villain to do all of that. Face it, the truth that you're Julian is much simpler.

"Then, there's your outburst about being stronger and faster. I apologize if I handled that poorly. I didn't know how much you remembered; I didn't want to scare you. But if you did remember you'd be scared because I'm sure you noticed by now how you don't seem to have your powers.

"There's a reason for that, but first I want to reassure you that I have no reason to try and trick you. I know everything about you. Like, how you can see through walls, shoot fire from your eyes, and hear a conversation from a mile away. Unlike other people in this town, you didn't get these gifts from the meteorites but because you originate from where they came from: Krypton."

Clark paced in front of the fireplace. His head hurt and he felt cold. Could Lex have guessed all those things? He didn't know what Krypton meant and having super hearing wasn't something Clark remembered doing. "What do you want from me, Lex?"

"I want to see you happy. To see you graduate high school and go and on and fulfill your destiny. And I want to be there every minute."

Mechanically Clark showered, feeling cold despite his skin turning red from the water. He put on the silk pajamas again with the brand JL on them. As he emerged from the bathroom, Lex guided him to the bed and proceeded to tuck the covers around him. Clark would have smiled at the motherly way Lex was behaving, but he was too tired.

"Julian, I got used to reading to you at night when you were sick. Could I read to you tonight?"

"Well," Clark snuggled further between the sheets, "if it would make you feel better."

"It would. How about the Velveteen Rabbit? That's a favorite of yours, isn't it?"

Clark allowed his eyes to close and listened to Lex read of stuffed rabbits and rocking horses. The boy didn't sleep but laid still and tried to stifle his sobs. As the story ended, a lone tear rolled down his cheek.

"I'm sorry," Lex said, kissing Clark's forehead. "I'm so, so sorry you are going through this. But I'm going to take care of you. And we'll have fun. You'll see." Clark opened his eyes. "I love you, Julian."

Clark moved to hug Lex, his big brother. He needed his family.

And Lex was all he had.