Title: A New Life

Author: Splatsaule

Email: splatsaule@yahoo.ca

Rating: pg-13 cause thoughts of suicide are implied

Challenge: CLFF Wave 21: #1: Leaving to follow a new path

Notes: This plot bunny has been swimming around in my head for a while. But due

Summary: After the fear gas.

Clark wandered through the long hallways of the Luthor Castle, in search of Lex. Usually the older man could be found in the library, or his office, or even the kitchen on produce delivery days.

Today, though, Lex was nowhere to be seen.

It had been almost a week since the events of the fear gas where most of the town had fallen into comas. After experiencing their worst fears made real.

The memory of his own fears and of finding his parents unconscious in their house still haunted him. Not to mention the events on the lab. When Lex injected himself with what was hoped to be an antidote, and collapsed, Clark’s heart froze.

Luckily he had been fast enough to catch his friend, before Lex hit the ground.

Clark’s heart had finally started beating again when Lex’s blue eyes opened. Alive, and cured from the gas.

After his awakening, Lex had begun the task of ensuring everybody in town who had been infected received the antidote. Clark hadn’t seen him since.

So now, Clark was searching the mansion for his friend. They were long overdue for a talk.

* * *

Frustrated at not being able to find Lex, Clark finally just stopped and used his x-ray vision.

Scanning, Clark spotted a familiar skeleton in the sane area as Lex’s bedroom. But there was something wrong. The skeleton was curled in on itself, huddled in what looked like the shower; judging from the shapes of the stuff around him.

Concern rushing through him, Clark put on a burst of speed, and ran through the hallway and up the stairs. Skidding to a stop in front of the right door, Clark knocked loudly.

“LEX!” He knocked again. “Lex. It’s Clark!”

No response came from the other side.

“Lex! I’m coming in.”

Opening the door, Clark stepped into the expansive bedroom. Seeing no sign of Lex, Clark hurried over to the door that led to the adjourning bathroom.

Not even stopping to knock, Clark pushed the door open, going in. Hurrying to the shower, he pulled the curtain aside, calling out to Lex at the same time.

“Lex! Are you…”

What he saw froze him to the core.

Lex was sitting curled up against the wall, eyes dull and gazing blankly down at his hands lying limply on his lap. Staring at the sharp knife clutched in his left hand.

“Oh god. Lex!”

Fumbling a little, Clark turned off the water, hissing when the ice cold hit him.

Grabbing a towel off the nearby rack, Clark wrapped it around the chilled form.

“Lex?”

After getting no response, he pried the knife from the pale fingers. Gently scooping Lex into his arms, Clark cradled the smaller man, and carried him out into the bedroom, and to the bed.

Clark manoeuvred Lex under the covers, then stripped to his boxers and crawled in too. Pulling Lex to his body, Clark wrapped himself around the cold body.

“Do you want to know what I saw?” Lex’s quiet voice spoke into Clark’s chest.

“Yes. Tell me.” He pulled Lex closer. “If this is the kind of reaction it gets, then I want to know. I want to help.”

For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was their breathing.

“I saw myself. And I destroyed the world.” Blue eyes looked up into green. “You should never have saved me.”

“NO! Lex. Saving you was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“Maybe for you.” Lex paused, looking away. “But not for the world.”

Clark was silent for a minute.

“I thought the gas showed people's greatest fear?”

“It does.” Lex answered slowly.

“Then there you go!”

Clark sat up, pulling Lex with him. Turning so that they were face to face, Clark spoke.

“What you saw was real.”

“But it’s a real possibility.” Lex whispered, looking away. “That is what I’m going to become. A monster.”

Lex pulled away from Clark, and got off the king size bed. He pulled on a robe as he walked away.

“Go away Clark.”

“No.” He followed. “I come over, and I find you in a freezing shower with a knife. I’m NOT leaving.”

“I’m going to make things right. You shouldn’t be here”

“Lex!”

Clark grabbed the older man and spun him around.

“There is nothing that needs to be ‘made right’.”

Their eyes met.

“You can’t leave me Lex. What would I do without you?”

“Move on.”

“Wrong! I’d break.” He gently cupped Lex’s face with his large hands.

“I need you Lex!”

Then he kissed him.

“Oh!”

They pulled apart when the need for air became too much.

“I need you too Clark.”

“I know.” Clark smiled. “Now let’s go. You’re coming with me.”

“Where?”

“To the farm.”

“What? No Clark. Your parents…”

“Will welcome you. They don’t turn people away, especially people who are feeling the way you are.”

“Clark. How is this going to help?”

“It gets you out of the castle. You’re here all by yourself.” Something clicked.

“You should move out!”

“What? To the farm?”

“No. Someplace new. A place of your own. Start a new life. Make a change.” Clark smiled. “What you saw does not have to happen. You can change your path.”

“I don’t know.” Lex looked unsure.

“Common. We’ll talk about it more tonight.”

Clark dragged Lex over to the closet.

* * *

Half an hour later, the two of them, each with a bag in hand, were walking out of the Luthor Castle. They climbed into one of Lex’s cars and drove off together.

Towards a new life.

END