Part 31
As he drove, Bruce began to notice something that he almost couldn't credit. He had been carefully monitoring the boy's shallow breathing in case Clark stopped breathing, but despite his horrific pallor and his almost constant achingly painful moans, the boy's breathing slowly grew stronger and more even. The trembling slowed then disappeared.
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His breath came in quick, choking pants that they didn't need to see his hand clamped over his mouth to understand. Thankful that Bruce hadn't worked his way back into traffic, yet, Lex threw the passenger door open and eased Clark out. He barely had time to catch under Clark's chest before Clark was heaving pints of thick bilious green liquid with each gust.
He continued as Bruce and Lex watched until it seemed impossible for there to be more, and still he continued coating the grass beneath him with a foul green slime that burned the leaves and grass that it touched.
When his stomach finally rejected as much as it could in one sitting, Lex's hold was the only think keeping him from toppling forward into the vile mud.
Turning him carefully, Lex caught him beneath his knees and lifted him and settled him into the passenger seat again.
Beneath his fingers, as he carded through Clark's sweat matted hair, he realized that Clark was burning with a fever. And, the fever was confirmed in the next instant when Clark slipped back into delerium, mumbling and crying out for Lex in broken sobs.
Pulling him in tighter, Lex was unprepared for the link between them to flair again. With his cheek pressed tightly against Clark's, Lex's sight dimmed ...
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As he tried to sort through his senses, he focused on the heat and was struck with the strange sense of being in two bodies at once, both feeling pushed by the heat to the same contact points... contact point which he slowly recognized as the points where his skin was in contact with Clarks: where his cheek pressed against Clark's, where his palms caught Clark's arms, and where Clark's barefoot had by chance pushed the edge of a sock down to his ankle.
As he focused on the contact points, he slowly became aware of the heat diminishing. The weakness and pain were still prevalent, but his thoughts were becoming clearer.
After a moment, Clark's mumbling stretched becoming louder and more coherent. As Clark's words became clearer, Lex was shocked to realize that Clark hadn't been just calling for him, but begging for his forgiveness. Before he knew what was happening, he felt the strange nauseating jerk of being pulled out of their link and groaned.
As he did, Clark's cries choked off in surprise and the boy opened glazed eyes to study him in confusion.
"Lex...
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"But you're... I saw him."
"I don't understand."
"He saw you shot," Bruce supplied, wondering why Lex was suddenly slow on the uptake.
Nodding in agreement, Clark confirmed sadly, "Killed, I saw you."
Clark's fever, though cooler, still burned against his skin and Lex...
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The touch of his fingertips across Clark's forehead seemed to help Clark find some clarity: after a moment of trying to digest what Lex had said, Clark stared up into his eyes in confusion as he asked, "Not true?"
Over the top of Clark's head Lex and Bruce shared a concerned look at his simplistic tone.
"No, Clark, it wasn't true. He didn't kill me."
Seeking additional confirmation, Clark carefully reached shaking, sweaty fingertips up to pause centimeters away from his face as Clark paused clearly anxious. Recognizing the gesture, Lex caught Clark's hand and pressed it to his cheek - only to watch as Clark fell apart.
Pulling Clark's head to his shoulder, Lex ...
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Lex glared at Bruce (although rather distractedly, it was enough to return Bruce’s attention to the road), before tightening his grip on Clark and rubbing his hands up and down Clark’s back, shushing gently, and…
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When it seemed that Clark was finally out of it, Lex asked the question that had been plaguing him the entire drive to Metropolis: "Edge?"
"Alive."
Lex nodded. He'd expected that. Not wanted it, but expected it. While he knew Bruce was entirely capable of killing, he never did so without the absolute surety that the situation warranted it.
Lex had that surety, but knew that Bruce would need a great deal more evidence before taking a step that would leave a dangerous vacuum for a potentially more dangerous and unknown quantity to fill. There was some logic to his position; they both knew how Edge worked, for the most part who he worked through, and where he could be expected to strike next. There was some predictability to the situation - in their advantage.
But, it was precisely for the same reason that Lex knew he could not leave Edge alive. He knew how Edge worked. He knew the kind of men Edge hired and worked with... and - most importently - he knew where Edge would strike nex: Mr. Kent.
"Bruce, Clark's parents..."
Bruce snapped his head up realizing the depth of his error as he finished Lex's sentence: "need protection."
Thumbing a switch on the steering wheel, Bruce switched on a microphone and spoke rapidly, occasionally shooting questions to Lex as he instructed Alfred and Dick regarding what security measures to take.
When it was apparent that Bruce's questions were finished, Lex retrieved his cell phone after several uncomfortable shifts that repeatedly and forcefully reminded him of Clark's current undressed state. When he finally had the phone in his hand, Lex gulped softly several times trying to swallow the lump in his throat. It wouldn't be advisable for the Kents to be able to hear the blatency of his current discomfort in his voice.
This time when Bruce glanced over, his gaze was all too knowing, earning him another glare, which he accepted with a smirk and turned his eyes back to the road.
Finally, using his irritation at Bruce to weakly suppress other feelings, Lex opened the cell and dialed Martha's number.
"Mrs. Kent, I....
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“Lex! Oh Lex thank god! Are you alright?! Did you find him? Is-”
Lex cut off what he knew to be the beginnings of a panicked babble. “Yes Martha, Clark is with me right now, I’m taking him someplace safe, were hopefully we can start to sort all of this out. But Edge is still alive, and I know where he’ll attempt to strike next.”
Before Lex could elaborate, Martha whispered, “Jonathon”, the sheer terror at the thought noticeable in her very breath.
“Yes. A friend of mine has started to set up security measures for you as we speak, but I need you to pack a bag for yourself and Mr Kent - a car will be along shortly to bring you to Clark. If you could possibly bring some clothes for Clark also - comfortable, familiar things.”
“Of course, thank you Lex, thank you so much for saving my baby.”
Hearing that, hearing the gratitude in Martha’s voice, Lex felt the guilt wash over him as he glanced down at the broken shell of his best friend in his lap. “Martha….
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