Hey, everyone! Sorry for the couple day's delay there. Just got busy and didn't have time to get the next chapter up until now. For you huge Clois fans, unfortunately, Lois isn't in this one much, but some other things had to get moving, story-wise. I promise there's plenty of Clois action coming later, though! Thank you all for reading and I hope you like this next bit.

Even as he lined up with the other graduates, Clark tried to spot Lois in the crowd, afraid she'd decided to cut out early to avoid another confrontation. Clark didn't intend to let her leave Smallville until he'd managed to make her understand how he felt about her.

"Hey, where's Lana?" Chloe asked, as she passed him on her way to the S's of the queue.

"What, she's not here?" Clark asked, worried. He didn't think Lana would miss her high school graduation unless it was something really important. He pondered for a moment if he should take off and look for her. He realized, though, that he couldn't disappoint his parents that way. He told himself if she wasn't here by the time the ceremony was over, he'd scout around town just to make sure she was all right.

Clark supposed he shouldn't have been surprised at their commencement being interrupted by the army warning them of another meteor shower, but he'd really hoped to have at least one milestone during his adolescence that was normal. Clark hurriedly made sure that Chloe, along with Lois, were safely away in her car. It was almost pathetic how he'd had to restrain himself from just grabbing Lois and kissing the sense right out of her. Then he zipped around Smallville looking for Lana. Frustrated and worried when he couldn't find her, Clark ran back to the farm to check on his parents.

His dad argued with him when Clark insisted that he needed to deal with the meteors, but Clark knew that this whole situation was his to take care of. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do, but he knew he needed to do something. Unfortunately, even though it was an unpleasant thought, Clark needed to talk to his other father about this problem.

Standing in the caves as the world was threatening to come down around his ears, Clark thought at first that Jor-El was going to ignore him. When he finally did answer, Clark was more confused than ever, which wasn't far from normal for most interactions with his biological father.

As he was running back to the farm, Clark tried to figure out what Jor-El meant by one of the stones being 'stained with human blood' and how in the hell he was supposed to miraculously find the two missing stones before the meteor shower hit. He was hoping that his parents had already evacuated, but they were still there when he got back to the farm.

Clark hated upsetting his mother. He knew that neither she nor his dad wanted him to have anything to do with the stones of power, but Clark accepted the responsibility that he was the one who had to try and stop disaster from striking Smallville once again. His father surprised him by convincing his mother that this was something that Clark needed to do. Grateful to his dad for understanding, Clark prayed that he would be able to live up to the faith that Jonathan Kent had in his son.

Clark was trying to calculate which one of the players in China had actually come away with the stone, when he walked into the barn and was startled to see Lana there.

"Lana! I've been looking all over town for you. You do know that we're supposed to be evacuating, right?"

"Yes, I've heard," she said quietly, and he noticed that she was trembling and pale.

"Are you okay? I know this can't be easy on you, but there's plenty of warning this time, and most everyone's already heading out of town. You probably should be, too."

"I will be, but I had to do this first. I brought something for you. I have a feeling that it belongs with you," she said, and then unfolded a piece of cloth she was holding in her hands to reveal one of the stones.

Clark gasped in astonishment as he reached out and carefully took it from her. "Where did you get this? Is…is this blood?"

"I got it in China, and I'd really rather not talk about the rest of it. As many times as you've asked me just to trust you, Clark, I need you to just trust me now."

"Lana-" Clark started, not even certain what he was going to say.

"Clark, I just want you to know how much you've meant to me," she said, taking a step closer to him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"You're talking like we're not going to see each other again. Lana, are you in trouble? Let me help you," Clark said.

"It's being taken care of, but I just wanted to see you again. Not just to give you the stone, Clark. I wanted…I need to…" Lana said, and she began to lean in towards him as though she was going to kiss him.

Unconsciously, Clark leaned backwards before she could reach him.

"Uh…" was all that Clark could manage to say, as the moment stretched awkwardly.

"Oh," Lana said softly, and she seemed to deflate a little as she took a couple of steps backwards. "I should go."

Before Clark could protest, not that he was sure exactly what he would be protesting, Lana practically flew out of the barn. Cursing all the complications that seemed determined to make his life ever more difficult, Clark used the cloth to wipe the blood off the stone and then headed for the caves.

Clark collapsed to the floor of Lex's study, groaning in pain as the emerald glow of kryptonite washed over him. He was seriously going to have to talk with his former best friend about this fascination with the green rocks. Maybe if Lex knew that it hurt Clark, he would stop obsessing over it. Then again, Clark was still working up to trusting Lex again, so maybe letting him know his one vulnerability was a bad idea.

Either way, the only thing Clark could focus on at the moment, was how much pain he was in.

He had the third stone in his hand, but he couldn't even manage to get to his feet. Trying to move away from the vault with all the kryptonite in it only resulted in him flopping around ungracefully on the floor.

Just as he started to see the darkness creeping around the corners of his vision, Clark heard someone gasp and mutter his name, and then he felt someone grab him by the wrist and pull. Clark breathed in sharply, feeling a rush of energy throughout his body as he was yanked away from the influence of the kryptonite.

He looked up in surprise at Chloe peering down at him, and then froze when she straightened and glanced across the room at the sound of Lex saying her name. As much as he wanted to not keep any more secrets, this was not the time to get into it with Lex, not with the meteors growing closer with every second.

Keeping a careful hold on the stone, Clark super speeded out of the room. He could only hope that the fallout with Lex and Chloe wouldn't be too bad. He felt guilty leaving Chloe to face an angry Lex Luthor on her own. The fact that he'd ripped the vault door from its hinges in order to get to the stone as quickly as possible didn't make it any better, but he knew that Chloe could handle herself.

Standing in front of the table with the other two parts of the stone gleaming up at him, Clark hesitated. He had no idea what would happen when he joined all three parts together. What if it was something even worse than the meteor shower? No, he couldn't back down from trying to stop the meteors. That was a known evil and if he could stop it, he was obligated to do so.

Before he could think about it anymore, Clark pushed the final stone into the groove with the other two. He watched impassively as the cave put on a light show and the stones fused together to become one large crystal, levitating above the stone table. Grimly, Clark reached out and grabbed hold of it.

The jolt of pain that thrummed through his body took him by surprise. Clark cried out before he could stop himself. Thankfully, it only lasted a moment, and he shuddered in relief as he opened his eyes.

Everything around him was white, the snow covered hills seeming to stretch on forever. The crystal floated up out of his hand and Clark watched it spin slowly. Acting on pure instinct, he grabbed it out of the air and threw it as far as he could.

His head was already beginning to feel stuffed full, and Clark couldn't tell how long he'd been standing in one place as the symbols and images of his home world flew in front of his eyes. So much to learn! He felt uneasy, sure that he wasn't up to the task, but he was determined to do what he needed to do to stop the meteors. If that involved an incredibly long history lesson from Jor-El, well, so be it.

A different sound filtered through the elegance of the Kryptonian language, something urgent and frightened. Clark shook his head, wondering if Jor-El was now testing his concentration. The sound came again, and this time, Clark could tell it was a voice calling his name. Someone was calling for Clark and not Kal-El.

He flinched, turning his head away from the images flying around him, and they shimmered and disappeared.

"Clark!"

Clark stumbled as he jerked around, stunned beyond belief to see Lex kneeling on the floor of the crystal fortress. He could only gape in astonishment for a moment, and then he started forward as he realized Lex was crouching because he was cradling a half-frozen Chloe in his arms.

"Clark! She needs help now!"

"Lex! I don't understand. How did you…"

"I have to admit, my curiosity is strong enough to kill about a dozen cats at the moment, but right now, the important thing is that Chloe needs help," Lex said.

"But…how did you get here?" Clark blurted.

Lex grimaced and Clark could almost feel his irritation and impatience. "I would think that's something only you can answer, Clark."

"Um, I don't really know exactly how we got here either," Clark dodged the question out of habit.

Lex scowled fiercely at the non-answer. "I swear to God, Clark, if you try and pull any of that 'adrenaline' bullshit at this point, I will find a way to hurt you."

Lex's words revealed a truth that Clark had avoided facing for a long time. Lex knew his secret; maybe he didn't know all the details, but there was no way that Lex didn't know about his abilities. Instead of strapping him to a lab table, Lex had done nothing but try to protect him. Granted, his methods weren't always the ones that Clark would have chosen himself, but Lex had told him once that he would do anything for his friends.

Lex had grown more and more tense waiting for Clark to answer him.

"Would you believe…you've been kidnapped by aliens?" Clark said, with a shy grin.

Lex just stared at him in disbelief for a moment, and a brilliant smile bloomed over his face. Clark felt a sense of relief at being able to be honest with his best friend at last. It was then that Clark understood that all Lex had ever really wanted from him was the truth. It was freeing to be able to be honest with Lex after all the lying Clark had done in the past.

A soft moan from Chloe brought the both of them back to the peril of her situation. Clark rushed over and dropped to his knees in front of her and Lex. He gently brushed some of the ice crystals off her face.

"Chloe? Can you hear me?"

"C-c-clark. Re-really c-c-cold," she muttered.

"We need to get her somewhere warm. Quickly," Lex said.

Clark pulled off his red jacket and wrapped it around Chloe. He pulled her towards him and picked her up as he stood, holding her as close to his body as he could.

"Kal-El! If you leave your training now, there will be consequences!" Jor-El's voice shook the Fortress.

Lex's mouth gaped open and he spun around, trying to see where the voice was coming from.

"I'm not going to let her die, Jor-El! I'll return for the training later, I promise, but I have to help Chloe!"

"The fate of the world is more important that one insignificant being, Kal-El."

"Not to me! I can save them both, and I swear I will come back!"

"Very well, but you must return before the yellow sun sets, or the penalties will be dire."

The fortress went silent as Clark turned back to Lex.

"Who the hell was that?" Lex asked hoarsely.

"That was my biological father. I have to get Chloe to safety. I can hear civilization a few hundred miles in that direction, so I'm going to head that way," Clark said with a nod.

If Lex realized how many times he'd looked completely shocked in the last few minutes, he would be mortified. Clark had to admit that it was a little satisfying to see his usually eloquent friend so at a loss for words.

"How are you not feeling the cold?" Clark asked, as the thought occurred to him.

"I have no idea. The first meteor shower gifted me with an accelerated healing factor. Perhaps that has something to do with it."

"I'm going to take Chloe first, and then I'll be back in just a few minutes to get you, okay? And Lex?" The billionaire dragged his attention away from the array of crystals that he'd been looking at. Clark grinned. "Don't touch anything."

Clark zipped away towards the town. By the time he got Chloe to the local hospital, several minutes had gone by. When Clark arrived back at the Fortress, Lex held one of the crystal cylinders and it glowed in his hand. When he looked up and saw Clark's glare, Lex hastily shoved it back into its slot.

"What? It was doing that all on its own," Lex protested.

Chloe had been half-delirious and on the verge of unconsciousness while Clark ran her to safety. Lex kept his eyes open and whooped with delight at the end of the ride.

To Clark's relief, Chloe was doing better by the time they reached her room. Lex and Chloe were both staring at him and Clark swallowed nervously before he dropped his gaze to the floor. Two people outside of his family knew his secret. It was a bit unnerving

"So are we going to talk about the super-powered elephant in the room?" Chloe said with a smirk.

"Clark, I've known you were different from day one. I knew I hit you with my car, and nothing that you ever said made me doubt that. All I ever wanted to do was to help protect you. You saved my life, and I don't take that lightly."

"Lex, you don't owe me anything," Clark protested.

"He does! We all do, Clark! How many people in Smallville, including yours truly, have you saved? You're like a superhero. I think it's awesome," Chloe said, with a grin. "Although I still don't understand how the meteors affected you so much more than all the others in town. Did you win the meteor lottery or something?"

"Um, Chloe, I'm not a meteor freak," Clark said.

"Well, I know that's not a very nice term; that's why I said 'meteor affected', you goof," Chloe teased.

"No, I wasn't changed by the meteors. I sort of…came down with them," Clark said in a rush.

He could hear Lex snickering at Chloe's drop-mouthed expression.

"Oh, stop laughing, Lex. You should have seen your face when I told you," he scolded.

"You're an alien?" Chloe squeaked. "But you look so…normal."

"Thanks," Clark said dryly. "Listen, both of you, I know you still want more answers, but the truth is, I don't really know much more about myself than you do. I'm learning this all as I go. I didn't even know I was, uh, not from this planet until after the incident on the bridge."

"Whoa," Chloe said quietly. "That's really rough."

"Now you have us to help you. I have numerous resources," Lex said with a wink at Clark. "And Chloe has a fierce determination. We will be dedicated to protecting your secret," he continued with an intense look the young woman lying in the hospital bed.

To Clark's surprise, Chloe actually blushed and looked back up at Lex from underneath demurely lowered lashes. Holy cow, were they… Yes, they were totally flirting and right in front of Clark, too!

He was trying to figure out how to remind them discreetly that they were not alone, when Chloe gasped. She suddenly reached over and grabbed the remote for the television, and turned the sound up.

"Clark, that's your house!" she said.

Clark gazed in horror at the images of the farmhouse with a big hole through the center of it. Guilt and fear pooled in his gut and his thoughts immediately turned to his parents.

"My mom and dad…I don't know if they got out after I left," he gasped.

"Don't worry about us. I can get Chloe and myself home. Get back there," Lex urged.

Clark ran faster than he ever had in his entire life as he sped towards the Fortress. At a couple of points, he thought his feet might have left the ground a little longer than normal running would allow. Maybe that flying ability would come after all. He wished he had it now. Flying back to Smallville would be faster than the teleporting device to the caves, but at the moment, it was the quickest option available.

Clark wanted to cry when he got to the farm and saw the devastation. Calling out for his parents, he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or more scared when he got no response. Using both his speed and his x-ray vision, he searched the whole farm, but found nothing.

Reigning in his frustration, Clark tried to think clearly. Okay, the damage to the house was bad, so one or both of his parents might have been hurt. The logical place for them to be was at the hospital. Clark was rushing towards Smallville Medical Center before he even finished the thought.

It was chaos at the hospital. For a moment, Clark wondered how he was going to find his parents in the bedlam.

"Clark!"

He turned and was overjoyed to see Lois moving quickly through the crowds. Clark met her halfway and, before she could say another word, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Lois stiffened in surprise for half a second, and then she started kissing him back.

Clark pushed everything else away – just for a few moments – and gloried in the bliss that was being with Lois. Eventually, though, his worry for his parents kicked back in and he reluctantly pulled away. She gave a little whimper of distress when he ended the kiss and Clark couldn't help but smile when he looked at her.

Lois's eyes were glazed, her face was flushed, and her ponytail was definitely more messy than it had been a few minutes ago.

"Wow. Uh, glad to see you, too, Smallville," she whispered.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you, Lois," he said.

Lois seemed to realize that they were still locked in a tight embrace in the middle of the hallway at Smallville Medical Center, and were even getting a few amused glances from people passing by. She took a couple of steps back, reaching one hand up to smooth her hair. Clark let her go and he was delighted to see that she didn't move too far away, at least not as far as she once would have. Maybe he was making progress at last.

However, he needed to focus on other important matters at hand.

"Do you know where my folks are?"

"Yeah, they're here. Your dad is fine. Your mom got a little banged up, but she's going to be all right, too."

"Oh, thank God," Clark said, as his body sagged with relief.

"But listen! Something even weirder than normal for this town just happened. These two crazy, super-strong people showed up here at the hospital, looking for someone named Kal-El. They knocked around a few people and they were about to seriously hurt your dad, when Lana spoke up and said she knew where this Kal-El was. Clark, she left with them! I don't know if she was telling the truth or not, but I do not have a good feeling about this at all!" Lois said anxiously.

"You're sure they said Kal-El?" Clark asked. His insides were frozen with terror at the thought of Lana being anywhere near what sounded like Kryptonians. Judging from the damage done at the hospital, they didn't sound like nice Kryptonians.

"Yes, I'm positive. And Clark, she said that Kal-El was at the Luthor mansion. What the hell is Lex up to out there now?" Lois asked in irritation.

"I'll find out. I need you to stay here with my parents. Let them know I'm all right, and I'll go get Lana out of this mess. Will you do that for me?" Clark asked. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her right in the eyes, willing her to trust him.

"You know I'm always here if you need me, Smallville," she said, returning his gaze with equal seriousness.

Clark gave her a big smile, and couldn't resist leaning in for one more quick kiss, before he said, "Thanks, Lois."

As he made his way back to the entrance of the hospital, Clark glanced back for a last glimpse of her. She was still standing in the middle of the hallway with one hand raised to her mouth, her fingertips softly touching her lips. When she saw him looking, she glared and gave him the finger, before motioning to him to get going.

Clark laughed as he sped towards the Luthor mansion.

TBC