-1Chapter Nineteen-Camping Part 2

"Sam you idiot! He was right there and not only did you let him punch you, you let him WALK AWAY!!" Rex was furious.

If you didn't get Clark when you had the chance, he often got you before you got a second chance.

"I know, but he got to me." Sam replied. He had an ice bag on the left side of his face, where Clark punched him. It was going to bruise badly.

"So what do we do now?" Will asked looking at Sam like he'd seen no one stupider than him.

"We begin the hunt." Rex said.

"Alright, so how do we find him?" Sam asked the group.

"We need to find those friends of his. Clark said they were dropping him off. So what if, they took him a bit farther? Besides, which city limit did they drop him off at?" Rex asked.

"I know where he's going." Max said, standing tall from where he was leaning against the wall.

"Oh, and where's that?" Rex asked.

"Lex put the bounty on him. So who would you go to for help to get the bounty off you?" Max asked.

"I'd go to daddy." Will said.

"Clark's dad is dead." Sam said.

Rex reached over and slapped Sam on the other side of his head.

"You idiot, Lex's father."

Clark woke to the annoyance that was Pete's snores. How Lana and Chloe could sleep, he didn't understand. He leaned up in his sleeping bag and looked over at the three. They had taken to his current situation like butter on bread. For some reason, they didn't act worried or surprised that Lex had sent goons to eliminate him.

Of course when you thought about it, they dealt with Lex for longer than he had. Lana had even been trapped in a relationship with the bald freak. It couldn't really be that big of a surprise that he was being targeted by Lex.

Lana yawned from her sleeping bag. The bun she'd placed her hair in before bed was coming undone. Clark couldn't help but stare at her beauty, even when it was first thing in the morning. Her eyes slowly opened and she reached up to rub the sleep out.

"Morning." Clark whispered.

"Morning." She whispered back. When she looked over at him, Clark smiled then nodded his head to the door. "Okay."

Clark slid out of his sleeping bag and quietly, he opened the flap on the tent door. When Lana crawled out behind him, he gave her his hand. She smiled up at him and took it. Her hand in his, just felt right to Clark. It was small compared to his, but the way her long finger's slid over his skin so smoothly it felt like the path her fingers traveled was meant to be for her. Clark lead her away from the tent so they could talk. They traveled through the trees down to the river bank.

"I'm sorry for what I said the other night. It didn't come out right." Clark said.

"I understand, Clark. Lex is a monster and I finally got free of his grip but you got sucked in. I can understand you wanting to get away and not have anyone get hurt." Lana said.

"It looks like you've got me figured out." Clark replied looking off into the water.

"You're a protective guy. I never asked for you to do the things you did, but Lex isn't the owner of the Talon which has new locks. I'm not bruised and broken from those goons of yours." Lana said.

Clark laughed and looked over to her. "I guess you really do have me figured out."

"I like to think so. But you did throw me off with this camping trip. I figured you'd be half way to Alaska by today. Since you didn't have anything to keep you in Smallville." She said looking up at him.

Clark stopped the walking by the bank where the waterfall was streaming down.

"I did a lot of thinking and found that I may not want the risk of something keeping me in Smallville, but I do. Falling for you was new for me, but taking risks isn't."

"What are you trying to say Clark?" Lana asked.

"You're a risk worth taking." Clark answered.

Lana smiled up at him, her hand squeezing his. Clark could tell he'd said the right words. He'd prayed they had been the right words. He didn't want her mad at him, and he sure as hell didn't want to not be with her.

"You have a way with words." Lana said.

Clark smiled and did a daring move, he stepped closer. Lana smiled back, leaning her head back to continue to look up at him.

"I was hoping so." He said leaning down.

Clark could feel the butterflies in his stomach as their faces were mere inches apart. He was scared about what he was about to do next, but he knew he would hate himself if he didn't.

He leaned the rest of the way and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips moved against his, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He felt her hand move up his arm and around his neck. Being this close to her, he could smell her skin. After everything he'd been through, this moment in time, made his life worth living. They pulled apart for air, leaning their foreheads against each other.

"So what happens now?" Clark asked.

Lana laughed, "We go swimming."

Clark pulled back and smiled down at her. "I don't have a suit."

"Who said you needed one." Lana said smirking. When he laughed she added, "I'm game if you are?"

After a second he replied, "Alright."

They walked to the edge of the bank and took their shoes off. Clark was facing the woods when Lana passed, "No peeking."

He smiled at her words. He never would have thought that Lana Lang, high school hottie and smartest girl in the class, would take him skinny dipping. He peeled his shirt off and looked down when he felt something soft land on his foot. It was Lana's bra, along with her shirt and pants. He heard a splash of water and turned to see the ripples of the water surface.

Her head surfaced and she smiled at him, "I promise not to peek", she turning around.

Clark stripped off his pants and boxers and ran to the edge. He took a deep breath and dove in. He swam until he believed he was as far as she was before he surfaced. He popped up behind Lana who spun around.

"Don't do that!" She exclaimed as he smiled at her.

His smile turned into a smirk as he moved his hand underwater and brought it up to splash her. She turned her head, giggling before splashing him back.

"Hey you two." Chloe called as she helped Pete back a small bag for their hike. "Where were you two?" She asked.

"We were swimming." Lana said practically skipping up to the camp fire and plopping down by the fire.

"We?" Pete asked.

Clark walked up behind Lana and sat next to her. "We." He said.

"Wait, I thought you said you didn't have a…oh." Chloe said seeing the red in their cheeks.

"Alright, I may be a guy but I'm not entirely clueless." Pete said pulling on the backpack with their hiking supplies.

"Right, well we're going to go on our hike. See you two when we get back." Chloe said, pulling on her own bag.

Clark watched as the two headed down a worn path. Lana reached down and grabbed some sandwiches that Chloe had left. She offered one to Clark who smiled and took a huge bite out of it.

"So what happens now?" Lana asked before she bit into her sandwich as well.

"If you suggest another swim, I'm going to have to ask we wait for thirty minutes." Clark said, half his sandwich already devoured.

She laughed before turning to face him, "I meant with us and that ridiculous bounty on your head."

"Yea, I had a feeling we would talk about that." Clark said wiping the crumbs from his hand. He turned and looked at Lana. "I need to take care with Lex. Someone suggested that I talk to Lionel which I'm going to do. So after this I'm heading into Metropolis. I'll come back afterwards. I'm not one to run away and I won't."

Lana smiled and took his hand in hers, "So you're staying?" She asked.

"I have a really good reason too." Clark said.

He looked down at their hands. It was a risky move, indeed to stay in Smallville. He'd heard rumors about Lex from the streets of Metropolis. Facing him head-on would be dangerous and deadly if he wasn't careful.

"I can help." Lana said.

"No!" Clark exclaimed looking up. He'd done too much for her to get back in bed with the devil to help him. "I can take care of this. Lex is walking a dangerous road that is about to get clouded with the law. If you can't beat them illegally might as well get a lawyer." Clark said.

"So you do know what you're doing? Lex plays a deadly game." Lana said.

"I know, but so does Lionel and Edge. I'll take care of this, if only you can handle me being away for awhile." Clark said.

"If I know you're coming back, I'm sure I can manage to survive." Lana said smiling softly.

"I promise." Clark replied.