Fic: Shelter From The Storm
Title: Shelter From The Storm
Authors: hils
Paring: Clark/Lex and Kal-El/Lex
Spoilers: Up to and including Crusade
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Getting poisoned is just the beginning
WARNING: MPREG!
A/N: Thanks to ladydreamer for looking it over for me and thanks to danceswithgary for the beta
The pain tore through every muscle in his body, ripping him apart from the inside, and the only thing Lex could think of was that this time Clark couldn’t save him. Whatever poison the brandy had been laced with was strong, and he knew he only had a few minutes left to live. He’d often wondered what his final moments would be like, but he’d never imagined this. Murdered by his own father and expiring in a mess of shattered glass on the floor of his own office.
It hardly seemed fitting.
But what hurt him more than the poison and more than the manner of his death, was the knowledge that he was going to leave this world while Clark still hated him. He’d had such grand plans on how to win Clark back, and they were never going to be realised.
I guess this is where the legend ends.
He was only vaguely aware of arms lifting him up and a voice whispering something in his ear. Either is was an angel bearing him away to the afterlife or it was the ambulance crew arrived too late. It didn’t matter either way. He was seconds away from death now. He could feel it.
He closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.
* * *
~ Ten minutes earlier ~
“Complete your training and I will spare Jonathan Kent.”
Clark looked from the shining light in the cave to the crumpled form of his father on the ground. Of course, it wasn’t a choice, and Jor-El knew that. “All right, Jor-El. I’ll complete my training. Just leave my dad alone.”
“So be it. Step into the cave, my son, and embrace your destiny.”
He forced himself to look away from his dad, knowing that every second he remained would make it harder to leave. He stepped into the light, praying Jor-El would keep his word and that his mom and dad would understand why he had to do this. Warmth surrounded him and with it came a crippling pain that seemed to start in his stomach and spread through him like a raging fire. “What is this?” He gasped and fell to his knees.
“You are needed elsewhere,” Jor-El said. “Your mate is dying.”
Horror flooded through him as he struggled to his feet. “Lana…” His eyes widened as an image flooded into his mind, hard, bright and vivid. Lex was laying amidst the shattered remains of his glass table, twitching as he attempted to cling to life. “I don’t understand,” he cried out as the image faded. “Lex isn’t my mate.”
“Bring him to me,” Jor-El replied, ignoring Clark’s protests. “If you do not he will die.”
Clark was already running. No matter what he felt for Lex personally, he knew he couldn’t let him die. He arrived at the mansion a few seconds later and found Lex just as he had seen in his mind. A pained moan escaped Lex’s lips as Clark gently lifted him up. “It’s okay, Lex,” he whispered gently. “I’m going to save you.”
When Lex went limp in his arms, Clark ran back to the caves faster than he had ever run before. Cradling his precious burden in his arms, he stepped back into the light and let the warmth envelop them both.
* * *
~ Three months later ~
It was a bad day to quit smoking Lois decided, hands trembling as she sat rigid behind the wheel of her car. It was bad enough that she was lost somewhere in the middle of Hicksville, but now some freakish lightning storm had run her car off the road. Worse, the lightning had apparently hit someone, or at least struck close enough that his or her clothes had burned off. Either way it wasn’t going well, and now she was going to have to go and play Good Samaritan.
The ground around the naked body had been completely flattened. There was no way he was going to be getting up from there, but with no cell phone and no idea where she was she had no clue what she was supposed to do. Her eyes flitted back to the body and she decided she must be in shock because she could have sworn he'd just moved. She took a cautious step forward.
“Hey, are you…alive?” She almost yelped when he rose fluidly to his feet, his back to her as he seemingly took stock of his surroundings. So…he wasn’t dead after all. That was good, right? “Are you okay?” she asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the broad muscles of his back. The man looked damn good for someone who'd just been struck by lightning.
“I think so,” the man replied, making no effort to turn and face her, a circumstance for which Lois was extremely grateful.
“I have a blanket in my car,” she offered. “I don’t know what happened to your clothes. They were gone when I found you. Do you have a name?”
“His name is Clark.”
This time she did yelp, as an equally naked man stepped out from behind the first. He made no effort to hide his nudity as he walked towards her, his words politely wry. “I would appreciate a blanket, though. It is rather chilly.”
She ran back to the car and grabbed two blankets, grateful for a reason to avert her eyes. When she returned, she kept her eyes fixed firmly on the chatty man's face and that was when it hit her. “You’re Lex Luthor! Your father has been searching for you for months. There’s a huge reward for anyone who comes forward with information.”
“It’s amazing what that man can do from jail,” Lex mused. “He is still in jail, isn’t he?”
Lois nodded in agreement, her eyes still wide in disbelief.
“Good.” Lex pulled the blanket around his shoulders before draping the second over Clark. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“Lois. Lois Lane.”
“Lois, I don’t know what sort of reward my father is offering, but I will pay you double to not tell anyone that you’ve seen us. He’s a dangerous man.”
Lois nodded. “You don’t have to tell me that, and I don’t want your money. I’ve got no interest in helping the man who murdered my cousin.”
“Your cousin?” Lex asked with a frown.
“Chloe Sullivan.”
Lex’s frown deepened. “I see.”
“I was trying to find the Kent farm. I thought maybe her friend Clark might be able to help.” Her eyes narrowed as they drifted over to Lex’s companion. “Hey, wait a minute. Didn’t you just say his name was Clark?”
Lex sighed. “I think maybe you should come with us. The farm isn’t far.”
“Okay, great! Hey, it’s lucky I found you both or I’d have been driving around all night and you'd have ended up with pneumonia.”
“Yes,” Lex agreed softly. “Very lucky.”
They’d barely taken a few steps towards Lex’s car when Lex let out a low groan. Clark was at his side in an instant, placing a protective hand on Lex’s back.
“What’s wrong?” Lois asked, turning back to face them.
Lex responded by doubling over and throwing up on her shoes.
Yeah, it was definitely a bad day to quit smoking.
* * *
A single light shone in the window of the farm as Lois’s car pulled up. Lex had been hoping Martha wouldn’t be home. Things were complicated enough without having to explain things to her as well.
“Come on,” he said when he realised neither Lois nor Clark was moving. Lois exited the car first and let out a gasp when Clark followed, leaving his blanket pooled on the car seat. Lex sighed and climbed out after them, using one hand to hold onto his own blanket while he used the other to drape Clark’s back over him.
“Why are you knocking?” Lois asked when Lex rapped lightly on the door. “I thought he lived here.”
“It’s…complicated.”
Before Lois could respond, the door and Martha Kent squinted into the darkness for a moment before her eyes widened. “Clark?” She grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug. “Oh, Clark, it’s really you! I’ve missed you so much!”
As Clark stood stiffly in her arms, Lois glanced over at Lex. “He doesn’t exactly seem pleased to be home.”
At Lois’s words, Martha pulled back and studied Clark’s face, seeing for the first time her son’s hardened features. “Clark? What’s wrong?”
“Maybe we should go inside,” Lex suggested, seeing Martha’s obvious distress as she ran her fingers over Clark’s face. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Martha nodded and led them into the house. “Let me get you some clothes first,” she said and disappeared upstairs. Lex let her go without a word. He suspected she needed a moment alone to compose herself, and he certainly wasn’t going to refuse the offer of clothes.
“So,” Lois said. “I realise you guys have had a trauma or whatever, but anything you can tell me about what happened to Chloe would be great. I’m going to bring whoever did this to justice, Lex, even if it is your father.”
“You’ll find my father a hard man to pin down, Lois,” Lex replied dryly. “Believe me, I speak from experience.”
“What happened to you anyway?” Lois asked, peering at him curiously now that they were in a well-lit room. “Your father is telling everyone you’ve been kidnapped by terrorists.”
“I’m sure he wishes that were the case. Trust me, Lois, the less you know the safer you’ll be.”
“I can take care of myself,” she retorted.
“When it comes to my father…no, you can’t.”
* * *
This was not her son. The recognition came quickly when Clark padded into the bedroom behind her and looked around with a blank expression on his face. She should have known something was wrong when she’d tried to hug him earlier. Now, as he pulled a black shirt from Clark’s wardrobe, she knew something was very wrong. The shirt he’d chosen was one he’d only ever worn to funerals and she felt her heart breaking as he tugged it on.
“Clark,” she said with desperation leaking into her voice. “Please talk to me.”
“Clark is gone.” His voice was flat and lifeless as he continued to dress.
“No,” Martha replied. “He’s my son and I would know if that was true. He’s still inside you somewhere. I can feel it.”
His eyes blazed and he rose to his full height, placing himself a few inches from Martha’s nose. “If you truly believe that, Martha Kent, then you are a fool.” He swept out of the room without another word.
* * *
“Well,” Lois said as Clark marched into the room. “I gotta say I prefer you with the clothes.”
He ignored her and addressed Lex instead. “It is time for you to rest. The journey has placed stress upon your body and you need to recover.”
“I’m fine,” Lex replied. “Really.”
“You will rest,” Clark said in a dangerously low voice that almost sounded like a dare to challenge him. “Now.”
For a moment, it looked as though Lex was going to argue further, but Lois watched in amazement as he bowed his head and walked upstairs without another word. “Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when Lex Luthor took orders from anyone. Are you his bodyguard or something?”
Now Clark turned his attention to her, and she almost stepped back. He was regarding her as little more than an insect he wanted to squash. “I have no further use for you,” he finally declared. “Leave.”
“Hey, now just a second,” Lois snapped, hands placed firmly on her hips. “You can’t just order me around like I’m some sort of-HEY!”
He’d picked her up as if she weighed nothing and carried her out the door before depositing her in a heap next to her car. He walked back into the house without even looking over his shoulder.
“Don’t think I won’t be coming back!” Lois yelled at his retreating back. “You haven’t heard the last of me.
She wasn’t even sure he was listening.
* * *
Martha wiped her eyes as Lex quietly entered the bedroom, and then she offered him a tentative smile. “I’ve pulled out some of Jonathan’s old clothes for you. They’ll probably still be a bit big, but they’ll fit you better than Clark’s would.”
He took a seat beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry this is happening. I wish I could explain but…”
“Is there anything you can tell me at all?” Martha asked, not even attempting to hide her tears now as they rolled freely down her cheeks. “That man is not my son. He said…that Clark was gone.”
“I don’t believe that,” Lex replied quickly. “If I did I wouldn’t have brought him here. I thought…well, I hoped that seeing you might bring him back.”
“But how did this happen? You’ve both been gone for months.”
“He saved my life,” Lex replied. “My father tried to have me killed…poisoned. And Clark came for me. I remember that. The next thing I remember he had…changed.”
Martha choked back a sob. “Jonathan went looking for him. I don’t know what happened, but when I found him he was…the doctors don’t think he’ll wake up but they’re wrong.”
Lex nodded, his heart breaking in sympathy for how much she had lost. “Mr. Kent is strong, and so is Clark. Don’t give up on either of them yet.”
He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair as she cried, wishing he could believe his own words.
* * *
The sunlight hit his face through the open curtains that he was sure he had closed before going to sleep. As soon as he woke up, he knew something was wrong. His body felt twice as heavy as it had the night before and his movements felt slow and sluggish. As he tried to sit up, he realised why and let out a startled yelp.
Clark was at the door in an instant, completely naked and dripping wet, apparently having just leapt out of the shower. There was a frown on his face as he crossed the room to stand beside the bed.
“Are you in pain?”
“No,” Lex replied, trying desperately to keep the tremor out of his voice. “I’m not hurt. I’m just…just look at me!”
It was the closest thing to a smile he’d seen coming from Clark since his transformation. He looked down again and shuddered. Somehow, during the night, his belly had swollen to several times its usual size. He’d been expecting to get bigger, of course, but not like this. Not this quickly.
“It is as I had hoped. The yellow sun of this planet has enhanced the speed of the child's development."
“You didn’t tell me this would happen,” Lex said, still staring in shock at his stomach.
“It was no concern of yours,” Clark replied. “Although I can’t imagine what other reason there would be for returning here.”
“I thought you wanted to see your mother.”
“That woman is no mother of mine,” Clark snarled. “Make no mistake, Lex Luthor, I may indulge your foolish urges to call me Clark, but he is gone. I am Kal-El of Krypton, and you are merely the vessel for my heir.”
He stormed out of the room and left Lex to struggle out of bed by himself.
* * *
Martha let out a cry of alarm as Lex waddled into the kitchen.
“Eat,” Kal-El instructed without even making eye contact with Lex. “You must nourish my child.”
“Child?” Martha asked as she hurried to Lex’s side. “Lex, what happened to you? You weren’t like this last night.”
He sighed and let out a small groan as Martha eased him into one of the chairs. “Believe me I am surprised as you are. I wasn’t expecting to show for at least a few months.”
“So you knew you were…”
“Carrying my heir,” Kal-El supplied when she couldn’t complete the sentence.
Lex nodded. “Clark told me when I woke up from being poisoned.”
“I must say you’re handling it very well.”
Lex smiled as Martha loaded his plate with all the most nutritious items on the table. She probably didn’t even realise she was doing it. “Well, I’ve had a while to get used to it. What about you? Are you all right?” He was worried that on top of everything else that this would be too much for Martha to deal with.
“Well, it’s a shock,” she admitted. “And I’m not sure I understand how this happened.”
“It is not your place to understand,” Kal-El snapped. “You will care for Lex Luthor and my son while I am gone. If you do not do this, then I will kill you.”
“Gone?” asked Lex, keeping his eyes lowered so he wouldn’t have to see the look of fear and pain on Martha’s face. “Where are you going?”
“There are some Kryptonian artifacts that I must retrieve while I am here. I will return before the birthing time.” He rose from his seat without another word and walked out of the door without giving either of them a second glance. Lex rose and followed as quickly as he could with the extra weight he was now carrying.
“Are you sure it’s wise to leave now?” Lex asked, placing a hand on Kal-El’s arm. “I don’t exactly have much experience with being pregnant and Martha is no expert on Kryptonian babies.”
“She knows more than you think,” Kal-El replied with a glance over his shoulder.
Lex found himself knocked to the ground as Kal-El soared into the air and disappeared from sight. He could only stare, body and mind numb with shock, at the sky.
“Lex,” Martha called, piercing through the haze as she helped him to his feet.
“I didn’t know he could fly,” Lex said weakly as Martha helped him back into the house.
“Neither did I.”
* * *
“He said something just before he left,” Lex said after he had managed a drink of water and a little bit of food. “He said that you knew more about Kryptonian babies than I thought. What did he mean by that?”
Martha said nothing and simply looked down at her hands, which she'd folded in her lap.
“You knew, didn’t you,” Lex pressed. “You knew he was different. Have you always known?”
Still nothing. She couldn’t even bring herself to make eye contact with him.
“Martha, I’m carrying his child. I think any secrets you feel you have to keep about him are a moot point now.”
Finally, she raised her eyes to meet his. They were shining with tears. “The first time I met Clark, he was lifting up our truck. He was three years old.”
Lex eyes widened, even though she was confirming what he already suspected. “So you’ve known all this time?”
“He was just a little boy, Lex. If I’d told anyone, he’d still be in a lab somewhere today. Surely, you understand why I kept it a secret.”
He ran a hand over his swollen stomach as he took in her words. There was nothing natural about the pregnancy, yet he still felt nauseous at the thought of anything happening to his child. He reached across the table and took Martha’s hand in his.
“I think I can see where Clark gets his caring and thoughtful nature from.” At the sound of Clark’s name, her tears started to fall. Lex squeezed her hand in sympathy. “I know. I miss him too.”
* * *
He was amazed at how quickly he and Martha fell into a routine in Kal-El's absence. She would make them both breakfast and chat about the news or what was happening in Smallville. Afterwards, they would take a walk around the back of the house where no one could see them so that Lex could get some fresh air and sunlight. The baby liked this part of the day in particular and would squirm and kick as soon as Lex stepped into the sun. It had startled him at first, but he soon found it comforting and almost reassuring.
Afterwards, he’d take a nap and Martha would do some chores or go to the hospital and visit Jonathan. She was always home before Lex woke up and, in the evening, they’d have dinner together and watch a bit of TV.
It was a strangely comforting time in Lex’s life. He’d always dreamed about being part of a loving family, and he suspected this was the closest he was going to get to that. The only unspoken rule that he and Martha had was that they never discussed Kal-El. Lex was surprised and saddened to find that he didn’t miss him. He hadn’t been aware of it at the time, but being around someone who had Clark’s face but none of Clark’s kindness and warmth had hurt. A lot.
With Kal-El gone, Lex could concentrate on remembering Clark and working out a way to get him back. It wasn’t impossible. Nothing was impossible. The baby growing inside him was testament to that. He just needed a plan.
It was obvious Martha felt the same way. He’d catch her deep in thought sometimes and he knew she was thinking of ways to get her son and her husband back. She was a resourceful woman, he’d seen than when she’d been working for his father, and he didn’t doubt that between them they could come up with something.
“Is there anything special you know about Clark,” he asked her one evening after dinner. “Anything that might help us get him back?”
She shook her head sadly and sighed. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about since he left. It’s all I can think about, but I haven’t come up with anything. The only thing that hurts him is the green meteor rock, and the red one makes him…well, sort of like he is now actually.”
Lex thought about this for a moment, his scientifically trained mind working through various factors and equations. “Maybe that’s what we need,” he finally said. “What’s happened to him this time hasn’t been caused by any rocks. I’d have seen them if that was the case. So maybe if we expose him to the red rocks now they’ll have the opposite effect.”
Martha looked doubtful. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Lex. If it doesn’t work, he’ll be even worse than he is now.”
“I’m willing to take that chance if it means we might get Clark back, aren’t you?”
She hesitated for a moment and then nodded. “All right.”
* * *
“Did you get it?”
Martha nodded and placed the small box in Lex’s hand. “It won’t have any effect while it’s in the box,” she explained. “Lead protects him from the radiation.”
Lex nodded and slipped the box into his pocket. He could tell that Martha was nervous by the way she kept moving around the room straightening pictures and moving ornaments. He was nervous too. If this didn’t work, it could prove fatal to both of them. He wasn’t going to back down though. Not now. Not if it meant getting Clark back. He’d willingly give up his own life if it meant bringing Clark back into the world.
“So what do we do now?” Martha asked. “We don’t even know where he is.”
Lex had already thought about that and had come up with a plan. He knew that Kal-El would always be within hearing distance of him. He closed his hand around the box in his pocket, stood in the middle of the room and screamed.
“What is it?” Kal-El demanded, with them in the room a few seconds later. “Is there a problem with my son? Answer me!”
Lex closed his eyes, sending out one final prayer that this would work. Then he pulled the box out of his pocket and flipped open the lid. He saw Kal-El’s eyes flash red and, for one split second, he thought it had worked. Then he saw the sneer.
“So, you thought you would try and do me harm?” Kal-El said with a dry chuckle. “That was very foolish of you.”
“I just want Clark back,” Lex said, looking Kal-El directly in the eyes and refusing to show him any fear.
Kal-El sighed. “I have told you before that the one you call Clark is gone.”
“I refuse to believe that.”
“It doesn’t really matter what you think,” Kal-El replied with a shrug. “You are irrelevant.”
Lex felt the cold taste of fear burning at the back of his throat. “I’m carrying your son.”
“I shall simply create another in a less…difficult host.”
A tight hand prevented him from making any further arguments. He struggled and kicked, but his vision started to fade as he was lifted from the ground and pinned against the wall. This was it. He’d taken a gamble and he’d lost.
He could faintly hear Martha screaming in the background and he hoped that his death would at least satisfy Kal-El’s bloodlust and that she would be spared. The one thing he regretted was that he was bringing yet another loss to the kindest woman he had ever met.
He prepared himself for the end, but instead found himself crashing to the floor and, for a moment, he blacked out. When he came back to himself, gulping air in ragged breaths, he saw Martha standing over Kal-El with a piece of green meteor rock in her hand and a look of grim determination on her face.
“Get out of my house,” she hissed in a low and dangerous voice that he had never heard before or had imagined she was even capable of using. “Get out now or I will kill you.”
He didn’t doubt that she would do it, and his eyes drifted to Kal-El who was crouched on the floor in front of you. He was pale, his face bathed in sweat, but he still glared at her with a seething hatred in his eyes. “This isn’t over, Martha Kent,” he growled as he lurched to his feet and staggered to the door.
As soon as he was gone, Martha dropped the rock and ran to Lex’s side. “Lex, are you all right?” she asked as she helped him to his feet and guided him over to the couch.
He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, Martha. You saved my life.”
She smiled and choked back a sob. “I never thought I’d be saving anyone from my own son. Clark really is gone, isn’t he?”
Lex shook his head. “No, I still won’t accept that. There must be another way to get him back. I just need to think.”
“No, what you need to do is rest.” She lifted his feet and carefully swung them up onto the couch before tucking a cushion underneath his head. She draped a blanket over him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He was asleep before he even had the chance to thank her for taking care of him.
* * *
When he woke up the first thing he was aware of was how much his throat hurt. The second was that he was not alone. He could hear hushed voices nearby and whilst he recognised one of them as Martha, the other one was new to him. He lay still for a moment, feigning sleep so he could hear the discussion.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” Martha said. Lex could hear how broken her voice was and how lost she sounded. “You didn’t see what he was like last time he was here. He tried to kill Lex.”
“And you stopped him,” the other voiced countered. “You’re stronger than you think, Martha. Clark needs that strength, and your love, if you want to get him back.”
“And you’re sure this will work?”
“I’m sure. If you don’t trust me, then at least trust Doctor Swann. Clark does.”
He heard Martha sigh. “All right…for now. I still want to discuss this with Lex when he wakes up. This concerns him too.”
He’d heard enough. He pulled himself to his feet with a soft grunt and padded into the kitchen to join Martha and her companion.
Martha was at his side in an instant, helping him to sit down and pouring him a glass of water. He was grateful as the cool liquid soothed his throat. “Lex, this is Bridgette Crosby.”
He knew the name, although he had never met her before.
“You’re Doctor Swann’s assistant,” he said, hating how weak and scratchy his voice sounded.
“She says she can help us get Clark back,” Martha explained.
He was immediately suspicious. Years of working with his father had taught him that everything came with its price. “Why are you so eager to help Clark?”
“Doctor Swann cares a great deal for Clark. It’s vitally important that he returns. He has a great destiny to fulfil. No one is forcing you to accept our help. That’s a decision you and Martha have to make. However, you need to remember that Kal-El as he is now is very dangerous. He has one goal and one alone…to take over the world. He won’t rest until all of mankind is enslaved.”
She pushed a box towards him. "The plan you had was a solid one. You just used the wrong kind of rock. This will help you get access to Clark. Whether you decide to use it or not is up to you.”
She pushed back her chair and stood up, looking at both of them. “I don’t doubt that you both care very deeply for Clark. Use the love you hold for him. It is a powerful weapon.” Then, with a sympathetic smile, she excused herself and left.
Lex looked at the box and then at Martha. “Do you believe her?”
“I want to,” she replied softly.
“So do I,” agreed Lex. “But I’m not sure we should.”
Martha shrugged helplessly. “Do we have any other choice? You know he’ll come back soon and we can’t stay locked up in here forever. Bridgette was right about Clark trusting Doctor Swann. Maybe we should too.”
He sighed and opened the box. The rock inside was the colour of onyx and like nothing he had ever seen before. He knew Martha was right. They had no choice. They had to get Clark back, or it wouldn’t be simply their own lives in danger.
“How do we find him? He’s not stupid enough to come back here again yet.”
Martha gave a grim smile. “I think I know where to start.”
* * *
In retrospect, he should have thought of this place sooner. The Kawache caves were where he had woken up after being poisoned. He’d been too woozy and disoriented at the time to think about it, but it certainly explained why Clark had spent so much time here.
The opening Kal-El stepped out of certainly hadn’t been there before and Lex surmised that its appearance now had something to do with the artefacts he’d been seeking. Kal-El regarded them both in amusement. “You should not have come here.”
Martha stepped forward, eyes blazing and her jaw set. “And you should not have taken my son.” She held up the rock and Lex felt his heart sink as nothing happened. He should have known it was too good to be true. He’d been tricked. They both had. Tears stung in his eyes as their last hope faded into nothingness.
Kal-El smirked and strode forward but, before he reached Lex, a white light flooded the whole room. The blinding light forced Lex to shield his eyes for a moment. When he was finally able to see again, his heart pounded with hope.
Kal-El had split into two, joined at the waist almost like co-joined twins and the two sections were clearly battling for dominance. Even though they were identical, Lex immediately identified Clark as the one whose face wasn’t twisted in hatred. “Come on,” he whispered. “Fight, Clark. Beat him.”
“Clark,” Martha called, her voice ringing through the caves and echoing what Lex was feeling. “I love you! Fight it, baby, please!”
Martha’s eyes met his just for a moment but her meaning was clear. She needed him. Clark needed him.
“Clark, come on, you can beat him!” Lex doubted it in his own mind, even though he didn’t want to. Kal-El was strong and seemed to have the upper hand as he gripped Clark tightly around the throat. Lex winced as he remembered those fingers around his own neck and how close he’d come to losing his life.
Now he was going to lose Clark, and that was unthinkable.
“Clark,” he yelled, his voice breaking with the strain on his still sensitive throat. “Don’t you dare leave me again! I love you!”
His words not only startled himself, but Clark and Kal-El, too. They both stopped fighting, just for a moment, and looked at Lex…Clark staring in amazement, Kal-El grimacing in disgust. That was all the distraction Martha needed, and she tossed the black rock to Clark, who wasted no time in stabbing it into Kal-El’s chest.
The wave of energy that came with the blow knocked Lex backwards but, when the dust settled, there was only one Kryptonian left standing. “Clark?” His heart was now pounding so hard in his chest that he worried for a moment that he was going to pass out.
The man's smile held warmth that couldn’t be faked. “Hi, Lex.” Then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed. Martha let out a choked cry and ran to Clark, pulling his head into her lap and stroking her fingers through his hair.
“Clark? Baby? Is it really you?”
“Yeah,” Clark murmured sleepily, his eyes still closed. “It’s me, Mom. I’m back.”
A smile twitched at Lex’s lips as relief like he had never known before flooded over him. He quietly walked back to the mouth of the cave, not even bothering to wipe the tears from his damp cheeks.
Clark was back.
* * *
“Let’s go home,” Martha said as they left the cave. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying but she was smiling and it was the first time Lex had been that since he’d first on the farm with Kal-El.
His eyes drifted to Clark and he felt his mouth go dry at the sight of him. Even though his eyes were just as red and he was clearly exhausted, he was still the image of perfection. “Are you all right?” Lex asked gently, not trusting himself to say anything more at this point.
Clark nodded but said nothing.
“I think he’s just tired,” Martha said as she helped Lex into the car. “He’ll be fine once he’s rested.”
Clark sat in the front seat and said nothing throughout the journey home. As soon as they were back, he disappeared upstairs, Lex presumed to find a shirt to put on. Martha busied herself in the kitchen, fixing some sandwiches and making some coffee.
“Are you all right?” Lex asked gently. The past few days had been a huge strain on both of them.
“Of course I am,” Martha replied, turning to face him. Her cheeks were streaked with fresh tears but her eyes with bright with happiness. “Clark is back and I have you to thank for that. I’d have given up if it wasn’t for you.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Lex replied. “You’re stronger than you think, and you’re forgetting that you’re the one who convinced me to trust Bridgette Crosby.”
She smiled graciously at Lex's insistence. “Well, whatever you think, I want to thank you for being here.”
“And I want to thank you for taking care of me. Not many people would have been as understand and accepting as you. You’re a remarkable woman.”
She gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re welcome. Would you mind checking on Clark? Just make sure he hasn’t fallen asleep before eating something.”
Clark wasn’t asleep. He sat on the edge of his bed, one of his usual red and blue plaid shirts hanging from a limp hand. It was as though he’d gotten halfway through putting it on and then had simply just given up.
“Are you all right?” Lex asked for the second time that day. Clark looked so dejected and lost that he didn’t need to wait for an answer.
“I’m amazed you can even stand to look at me,” Clark finally said softly. “Especially after what I did to you.”
“What you did was save my life,” Lex replied as he carefully took a seat beside Clark. “The rest wasn’t you. I know that. Kal-El was so different from you that I’d never get the two mixed up.”
Clark frowned. “Lex, what you remember about what happened after I took you from the mansion?”
“Not much,” he admitted. “I remember waking up in the caves and that you’d changed. Kal-El didn’t waste much time before informing me of my…condition. I'd just assumed he’d done something to me while I was unconscious.”
Clark looked as though he was about to weep. “Oh, Lex…”
“What? What is it, Clark?”
* * *
~ Three months earlier ~
“You have to save him!”
Clark could only watch helplessly as Lex twitched feebly at his feet. Even with all his speed and all his powers, he was hit hard with the realisation that he was probably too late.
“It is not I who must save him, my son. He is your mate, and only you can bring him back from the brink of death.
Jor-El’s voice rang out through the cave, and Lex let out a soft whimper.
“I don’t understand!” Clark yelled into the darkness. “How is he my mate? What do I have to do?”
“The two of you have been joined since you brought him back from death the first time,” Jor-El replied. “Your lives are now entwined and your destinies are joined. Nothing can break that bond but death. To prevent it your spiritual bond must now become a physical one. You must join with him. He will feed on your energy and be strong again.”
“Join?” Clark asked helplessly. “What do you mean?”
“You must engage in sexual intercourse with him.”
Clark’s eyes widened and he took a step back from Lex’s prone form. “What? No! I can’t!”
“If you do not do this, then he will die. I know you do not wish for that to happen, or you would not have brought him to me.”
Clark glanced down at Lex. His twitching had slowed now and his heart clenched with the realisation that the longer he spent debating this issue with Jor-El the less chance Lex had of surviving. “There must be another way,” he finally said desperately.
“There is not,” Jor-El replied. “You must mate with him now or he will die.”
Tentatively Clark stepped forward again and crouched down beside Lex. “Lex? Can you hear me?”
Another soft whimper was the only response.
“I can’t do this,” Clark called out. “He’s barely alive. He can’t give me his consent.”
“That does not matter. It is a simple case of his consent or his life. You must hurry. He has little time left.”
He hated it. He hated himself for having to do it, but he knew he’d hate himself even more if he allowed Lex to die. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he stroked his hand over Lex’s smooth head. “I hope you’ll forgive me when you wake up.”
He trailed his hand down Lex’s back. Just feeling the smooth skin beneath his hand sent jolts of electricity running through him and Clark felt himself grow hard. He’d fantasized about being with Lex plenty of times, but never like this. It was cold, crude, and horrible.
With no lube handy, he was forced to spit into his hand and rub Lex’s opening to make it easier. He was almost grateful that Lex was too out of it to realise what was going on. Tears stung in his eyes as he entered him. “I’m sorry, Lex. I’m so, so sorry.”
He moved slowly inside him in an attempt to avoid causing Lex any pain or damage, and he almost recoiled when Lex shifted beneath him and let out a soft moan. “I'm so sorry,” Clark whispered again as tears rolled down his cheeks. “It’ll be over soon, I promise.”
Lex moaned again and began to rouse. “Cl...Clark?”
“I’m sorry,” exclaimed Clark, stricken with the realisation that Lex was at least partially awake and aware of what was happening. He felt dirty and disgusting. “I’m doing this to save you, I promise.”
“Feels…good…” Lex murmured. “Don’t…stop…”
Clark blinked in surprise. The poison had to be affecting Lex’s brain. It was the only explanation. “Are you sure?” he asked tentatively.
Lex murmured again.
“You must complete your task,” Jor-El prompted. It didn’t exactly make this any easier.
He started to move inside Lex again, still doing his best to be gentle but increasing his rhythm as Lex let out small moans of pleasure. He could feel Lex growing stronger beneath him, his body now taut instead of limp as it had been.
“Clark,” Lex moaned again. “Feels good. Want you.”
He grunted and reached an arm around Lex to take hold of his hardness and stroke him in time with his own movements. Heat flooded through him, as Lex seemed to grow stronger with each thrust and stroke of Clark's hand. Still weak from the poison, Lex came first, shuddering beneath Clark and going limp. Clark emptied himself with a groan and collapsed on top of Lex a few moments later and quickly rolled off to lie beside him.
Lex blinked at him sleepily and smiled. “Hello, Clark.”
Clark smiled back. “Hi. How are you feeling?”
“Good,” Lex replied. “Tired.”
“Get some sleep. We can talk when you wake up.”
“Okay,” Lex murmured, his eyes already drifting shut. “Love you.”
As his breathing slowed and evened Clark couldn’t stop the smile from spreading over his face as he stroked a hand over Lex’s soft cheek. “I love you, too.”
“You must rest, too, Kal-El,” Jor-El instructed. “You will need your strength for what lies ahead.”
He wanted to argue. He wanted to stay awake and keep watch over Lex but his eyes were already so heavy and he could barely move his limbs. “My name is Clark,” he protested as darkness swept over him.
* * *
“It wasn’t me who woke up after that,” Clark explained, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. “It was Kal-El and you were already…it’s my fault. I’ve ruined your life.”
“No,” Lex replied. “You haven’t. I’m not going to lie and say I’m not scared. I am…but I’ve had time to get used to this and I’m choosing to look at it as a gift. What matters to me more than anything right now is that this child is yours, not Kal-El’s. It’s a child made from love, not the desire to conquer and enslave. I’m sure that together we can raise him to be the good and strong man that you are.”
“Together?” Clark asked in surprise. “You don’t hate me?”
“Of course not. I could never hate you, Clark.”
“I tried to kill you,” Clark pointed out. “I used you.”
“You know as well as I do that wasn’t you.”
Tears rolled down Clark’s cheeks as he finally looked up at Lex. “I can’t believe you’re being so…amazing about this.”
Lex shrugged. “I love you too much to let go now.”
At those words, Clark’s face lit up and he closed the distance between them, catching Lex’s lips in a deep kiss. “I love you too, Lex. So much.”
Before they could say anything else, Martha burst into the room, her face radiating joy as she exclaimed, “Clark, your father’s awake!”
* * *
“A grandfather?” Jonathan asked incredulously as his eyes flitted between a very nervous looking Clark and Lex who was hanging back and standing near the doorway. “I thought I was years away from that.”
“I’m sorry,” Clark said softly. “I know I’ve been nothing but trouble since I came into your lives and now I’m dumping this on you as well.”
“Sweetie, no,” Martha said, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “Don’t ever think that. You’re a blessing in our lives and this baby will be as well. Isn’t that right, Jonathan?”
“I’ll drop out of school and get a job,” Clark said.
“You’ll do no such thing!” Lex and Jonathan exclaimed at the same time.
“Clark, I can promise you our baby will never want for anything,” Lex said gently. “You need to finish school. I can’t put into words how important your education is and I think your father agrees with me.”
Even though he was pale and weak, Jonathan looked resolute. “I never thought I’d say this but Lex is right. However, I want the baby to come and live with us. He needs to experience what real life is like. Not the pampered spoiled life of a Luthor.”
Martha let out a shocked gasp. “Jonathan!”
“Dad…”
Lex stepped forward, eyes locked with Jonathan. “I know you don’t like me, Mr Kent, and if you want to judge me based on what my father did then that’s your prerogative. But don’t you dare presume that I will be a bad father because my own was. If anything, I know better than anyone does what a child needs when growing up. I know about the love he’ll need, the nourishment and attention. I promise you he’ll get all of that from me and more.”
Clark smiled and placed a gentle hand on Lex’s shoulder. “You’re going to be a wonderful parent, Lex. I know it.”
“And so will you, Clark,” he replied as he placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Our baby is going to get the best of everything from both of us.”
“And what are you going to tell people?” Jonathan asked, looking more than a little uncomfortable watching his son kissing another man. “You can’t tell them the truth.”
“Actually, I think you’ll find I can,” Lex replied, relishing the look of horror on Jonathan’s face. “I’m sure nobody will be surprised if I disappear for a while and come back with a baby in my arms. I have a reputation, as you delight in telling me. I’ll simply tell people he’s my son. Clark will be welcome to spend as much time with him as he wants, of course.”
“Well, I’ll put myself at number one on the babysitting list,” Martha said with a smile. “You’re part of this family now, Lex.”
Jonathan stared at Lex for a moment and then sighed. “Yeah, you can add me to the list too. There’s one more thing we need to discuss though.”
“What’s that?” asked Lex, his heart clenched in trepidation. He was amazed he’d managed to get Jonathan to accept all of this so quickly
“The birth.”
“Oh.”
* * *
~ One week later ~
The pain was like nothing he’d ever felt before, and for a moment he wasn’t sure he’d be able to bear it.
“It’s okay, Lex,” Clark said gently. “I know it hurts. Squeeze my hand all you want. You can’t hurt me.”
He let out another cry of pain as another contraction hit him.
“Just breathe,” Martha soothed as he dabbed his face with a cool damp cloth. “You can do this.”
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Lex gasped to Jonathan who was standing over him with a look of grim determination.
“I’ve delivered plenty of calves in my time,” Jonathan replied. “Besides, we can’t exactly take you to a hospital.”
Lex cried out again and Jonathan nodded. “Okay, it’s time. You need to push now, Lex.”
He could feel the baby’s head pressing against the opening that had formed a few days ago. Clark had assured him it was normal for males bearing children and now he just had to pray that he was right. He pushed.
“You’re doing great, Lex,” Clark assured. Martha took hold of his other hand.
“Keep pushing,” Jonathan urged.
He pushed again. He was so tired. He just wanted it to be over so he could sleep.
“Breathe, Lex.” Clark soothed. “You can do this.”
Another contraction shot through him and he pushed again.
“You’re almost there,” Jonathan said with a smile. “One more push.”
“I…can’t…” Lex gasped.
“You can,” Jonathan snapped. “You’re no quitter. You’re stronger than that. Now push!”
He clutched at Clark’s hand, drawing on the strength that he found there and pushed. There was an alarming silence for a moment. Then a baby’s cry filled the air.
“He’s perfect,” breathed Jonathan, wonder and awe filling his voice.
Lex craned his head, desperate to see his son and cursing how weak and tired he felt. He heard Martha make a soft cooing sound and then she carefully placed his son in his arms.
His son. His and Clark’s son.
Jonathan was right. He was perfect.
“He has your eyes,” he murmured to Clark.
“And your mouth,” Clark replied, pressing a kiss to the top of Lex’s head. “Look at him, Lex. Just look at him.”
All Lex could do was nod. They'd made this wonderful thing. Together. It was a miracle.
“What do you want to name him?”
With everything that had happened, they hadn’t really had time to think about names.
“I like the name Conner,” Clark said. “I don’t know why. It just sort of feels right.”
Lex smiled down at the baby. “Conner Jonathan Kent.”
He heard a strangled sound come from Jonathan and, a moment later, he came into sight, standing over them, hands still streaked with blood from the birth. “Lex…you want to give the baby my name?”
He smiled. “Well, I certainly don’t want to give him my father’s. Do you mind?”
“Mind?” he asked in a choked voice. “I’d be honored.” He reached down and stroked a hand gently over Conner’s head before smiling at Lex. “Welcome to the family. Both of you.”
Lex closed his eyes and smiled.
The End.
Authors: hils
Paring: Clark/Lex and Kal-El/Lex
Spoilers: Up to and including Crusade
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Getting poisoned is just the beginning
WARNING: MPREG!
A/N: Thanks to ladydreamer for looking it over for me and thanks to danceswithgary for the beta
The pain tore through every muscle in his body, ripping him apart from the inside, and the only thing Lex could think of was that this time Clark couldn’t save him. Whatever poison the brandy had been laced with was strong, and he knew he only had a few minutes left to live. He’d often wondered what his final moments would be like, but he’d never imagined this. Murdered by his own father and expiring in a mess of shattered glass on the floor of his own office.
It hardly seemed fitting.
But what hurt him more than the poison and more than the manner of his death, was the knowledge that he was going to leave this world while Clark still hated him. He’d had such grand plans on how to win Clark back, and they were never going to be realised.
I guess this is where the legend ends.
He was only vaguely aware of arms lifting him up and a voice whispering something in his ear. Either is was an angel bearing him away to the afterlife or it was the ambulance crew arrived too late. It didn’t matter either way. He was seconds away from death now. He could feel it.
He closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.
* * *
~ Ten minutes earlier ~
“Complete your training and I will spare Jonathan Kent.”
Clark looked from the shining light in the cave to the crumpled form of his father on the ground. Of course, it wasn’t a choice, and Jor-El knew that. “All right, Jor-El. I’ll complete my training. Just leave my dad alone.”
“So be it. Step into the cave, my son, and embrace your destiny.”
He forced himself to look away from his dad, knowing that every second he remained would make it harder to leave. He stepped into the light, praying Jor-El would keep his word and that his mom and dad would understand why he had to do this. Warmth surrounded him and with it came a crippling pain that seemed to start in his stomach and spread through him like a raging fire. “What is this?” He gasped and fell to his knees.
“You are needed elsewhere,” Jor-El said. “Your mate is dying.”
Horror flooded through him as he struggled to his feet. “Lana…” His eyes widened as an image flooded into his mind, hard, bright and vivid. Lex was laying amidst the shattered remains of his glass table, twitching as he attempted to cling to life. “I don’t understand,” he cried out as the image faded. “Lex isn’t my mate.”
“Bring him to me,” Jor-El replied, ignoring Clark’s protests. “If you do not he will die.”
Clark was already running. No matter what he felt for Lex personally, he knew he couldn’t let him die. He arrived at the mansion a few seconds later and found Lex just as he had seen in his mind. A pained moan escaped Lex’s lips as Clark gently lifted him up. “It’s okay, Lex,” he whispered gently. “I’m going to save you.”
When Lex went limp in his arms, Clark ran back to the caves faster than he had ever run before. Cradling his precious burden in his arms, he stepped back into the light and let the warmth envelop them both.
* * *
~ Three months later ~
It was a bad day to quit smoking Lois decided, hands trembling as she sat rigid behind the wheel of her car. It was bad enough that she was lost somewhere in the middle of Hicksville, but now some freakish lightning storm had run her car off the road. Worse, the lightning had apparently hit someone, or at least struck close enough that his or her clothes had burned off. Either way it wasn’t going well, and now she was going to have to go and play Good Samaritan.
The ground around the naked body had been completely flattened. There was no way he was going to be getting up from there, but with no cell phone and no idea where she was she had no clue what she was supposed to do. Her eyes flitted back to the body and she decided she must be in shock because she could have sworn he'd just moved. She took a cautious step forward.
“Hey, are you…alive?” She almost yelped when he rose fluidly to his feet, his back to her as he seemingly took stock of his surroundings. So…he wasn’t dead after all. That was good, right? “Are you okay?” she asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the broad muscles of his back. The man looked damn good for someone who'd just been struck by lightning.
“I think so,” the man replied, making no effort to turn and face her, a circumstance for which Lois was extremely grateful.
“I have a blanket in my car,” she offered. “I don’t know what happened to your clothes. They were gone when I found you. Do you have a name?”
“His name is Clark.”
This time she did yelp, as an equally naked man stepped out from behind the first. He made no effort to hide his nudity as he walked towards her, his words politely wry. “I would appreciate a blanket, though. It is rather chilly.”
She ran back to the car and grabbed two blankets, grateful for a reason to avert her eyes. When she returned, she kept her eyes fixed firmly on the chatty man's face and that was when it hit her. “You’re Lex Luthor! Your father has been searching for you for months. There’s a huge reward for anyone who comes forward with information.”
“It’s amazing what that man can do from jail,” Lex mused. “He is still in jail, isn’t he?”
Lois nodded in agreement, her eyes still wide in disbelief.
“Good.” Lex pulled the blanket around his shoulders before draping the second over Clark. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“Lois. Lois Lane.”
“Lois, I don’t know what sort of reward my father is offering, but I will pay you double to not tell anyone that you’ve seen us. He’s a dangerous man.”
Lois nodded. “You don’t have to tell me that, and I don’t want your money. I’ve got no interest in helping the man who murdered my cousin.”
“Your cousin?” Lex asked with a frown.
“Chloe Sullivan.”
Lex’s frown deepened. “I see.”
“I was trying to find the Kent farm. I thought maybe her friend Clark might be able to help.” Her eyes narrowed as they drifted over to Lex’s companion. “Hey, wait a minute. Didn’t you just say his name was Clark?”
Lex sighed. “I think maybe you should come with us. The farm isn’t far.”
“Okay, great! Hey, it’s lucky I found you both or I’d have been driving around all night and you'd have ended up with pneumonia.”
“Yes,” Lex agreed softly. “Very lucky.”
They’d barely taken a few steps towards Lex’s car when Lex let out a low groan. Clark was at his side in an instant, placing a protective hand on Lex’s back.
“What’s wrong?” Lois asked, turning back to face them.
Lex responded by doubling over and throwing up on her shoes.
Yeah, it was definitely a bad day to quit smoking.
* * *
A single light shone in the window of the farm as Lois’s car pulled up. Lex had been hoping Martha wouldn’t be home. Things were complicated enough without having to explain things to her as well.
“Come on,” he said when he realised neither Lois nor Clark was moving. Lois exited the car first and let out a gasp when Clark followed, leaving his blanket pooled on the car seat. Lex sighed and climbed out after them, using one hand to hold onto his own blanket while he used the other to drape Clark’s back over him.
“Why are you knocking?” Lois asked when Lex rapped lightly on the door. “I thought he lived here.”
“It’s…complicated.”
Before Lois could respond, the door and Martha Kent squinted into the darkness for a moment before her eyes widened. “Clark?” She grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug. “Oh, Clark, it’s really you! I’ve missed you so much!”
As Clark stood stiffly in her arms, Lois glanced over at Lex. “He doesn’t exactly seem pleased to be home.”
At Lois’s words, Martha pulled back and studied Clark’s face, seeing for the first time her son’s hardened features. “Clark? What’s wrong?”
“Maybe we should go inside,” Lex suggested, seeing Martha’s obvious distress as she ran her fingers over Clark’s face. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Martha nodded and led them into the house. “Let me get you some clothes first,” she said and disappeared upstairs. Lex let her go without a word. He suspected she needed a moment alone to compose herself, and he certainly wasn’t going to refuse the offer of clothes.
“So,” Lois said. “I realise you guys have had a trauma or whatever, but anything you can tell me about what happened to Chloe would be great. I’m going to bring whoever did this to justice, Lex, even if it is your father.”
“You’ll find my father a hard man to pin down, Lois,” Lex replied dryly. “Believe me, I speak from experience.”
“What happened to you anyway?” Lois asked, peering at him curiously now that they were in a well-lit room. “Your father is telling everyone you’ve been kidnapped by terrorists.”
“I’m sure he wishes that were the case. Trust me, Lois, the less you know the safer you’ll be.”
“I can take care of myself,” she retorted.
“When it comes to my father…no, you can’t.”
* * *
This was not her son. The recognition came quickly when Clark padded into the bedroom behind her and looked around with a blank expression on his face. She should have known something was wrong when she’d tried to hug him earlier. Now, as he pulled a black shirt from Clark’s wardrobe, she knew something was very wrong. The shirt he’d chosen was one he’d only ever worn to funerals and she felt her heart breaking as he tugged it on.
“Clark,” she said with desperation leaking into her voice. “Please talk to me.”
“Clark is gone.” His voice was flat and lifeless as he continued to dress.
“No,” Martha replied. “He’s my son and I would know if that was true. He’s still inside you somewhere. I can feel it.”
His eyes blazed and he rose to his full height, placing himself a few inches from Martha’s nose. “If you truly believe that, Martha Kent, then you are a fool.” He swept out of the room without another word.
* * *
“Well,” Lois said as Clark marched into the room. “I gotta say I prefer you with the clothes.”
He ignored her and addressed Lex instead. “It is time for you to rest. The journey has placed stress upon your body and you need to recover.”
“I’m fine,” Lex replied. “Really.”
“You will rest,” Clark said in a dangerously low voice that almost sounded like a dare to challenge him. “Now.”
For a moment, it looked as though Lex was going to argue further, but Lois watched in amazement as he bowed his head and walked upstairs without another word. “Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when Lex Luthor took orders from anyone. Are you his bodyguard or something?”
Now Clark turned his attention to her, and she almost stepped back. He was regarding her as little more than an insect he wanted to squash. “I have no further use for you,” he finally declared. “Leave.”
“Hey, now just a second,” Lois snapped, hands placed firmly on her hips. “You can’t just order me around like I’m some sort of-HEY!”
He’d picked her up as if she weighed nothing and carried her out the door before depositing her in a heap next to her car. He walked back into the house without even looking over his shoulder.
“Don’t think I won’t be coming back!” Lois yelled at his retreating back. “You haven’t heard the last of me.
She wasn’t even sure he was listening.
* * *
Martha wiped her eyes as Lex quietly entered the bedroom, and then she offered him a tentative smile. “I’ve pulled out some of Jonathan’s old clothes for you. They’ll probably still be a bit big, but they’ll fit you better than Clark’s would.”
He took a seat beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry this is happening. I wish I could explain but…”
“Is there anything you can tell me at all?” Martha asked, not even attempting to hide her tears now as they rolled freely down her cheeks. “That man is not my son. He said…that Clark was gone.”
“I don’t believe that,” Lex replied quickly. “If I did I wouldn’t have brought him here. I thought…well, I hoped that seeing you might bring him back.”
“But how did this happen? You’ve both been gone for months.”
“He saved my life,” Lex replied. “My father tried to have me killed…poisoned. And Clark came for me. I remember that. The next thing I remember he had…changed.”
Martha choked back a sob. “Jonathan went looking for him. I don’t know what happened, but when I found him he was…the doctors don’t think he’ll wake up but they’re wrong.”
Lex nodded, his heart breaking in sympathy for how much she had lost. “Mr. Kent is strong, and so is Clark. Don’t give up on either of them yet.”
He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair as she cried, wishing he could believe his own words.
* * *
The sunlight hit his face through the open curtains that he was sure he had closed before going to sleep. As soon as he woke up, he knew something was wrong. His body felt twice as heavy as it had the night before and his movements felt slow and sluggish. As he tried to sit up, he realised why and let out a startled yelp.
Clark was at the door in an instant, completely naked and dripping wet, apparently having just leapt out of the shower. There was a frown on his face as he crossed the room to stand beside the bed.
“Are you in pain?”
“No,” Lex replied, trying desperately to keep the tremor out of his voice. “I’m not hurt. I’m just…just look at me!”
It was the closest thing to a smile he’d seen coming from Clark since his transformation. He looked down again and shuddered. Somehow, during the night, his belly had swollen to several times its usual size. He’d been expecting to get bigger, of course, but not like this. Not this quickly.
“It is as I had hoped. The yellow sun of this planet has enhanced the speed of the child's development."
“You didn’t tell me this would happen,” Lex said, still staring in shock at his stomach.
“It was no concern of yours,” Clark replied. “Although I can’t imagine what other reason there would be for returning here.”
“I thought you wanted to see your mother.”
“That woman is no mother of mine,” Clark snarled. “Make no mistake, Lex Luthor, I may indulge your foolish urges to call me Clark, but he is gone. I am Kal-El of Krypton, and you are merely the vessel for my heir.”
He stormed out of the room and left Lex to struggle out of bed by himself.
* * *
Martha let out a cry of alarm as Lex waddled into the kitchen.
“Eat,” Kal-El instructed without even making eye contact with Lex. “You must nourish my child.”
“Child?” Martha asked as she hurried to Lex’s side. “Lex, what happened to you? You weren’t like this last night.”
He sighed and let out a small groan as Martha eased him into one of the chairs. “Believe me I am surprised as you are. I wasn’t expecting to show for at least a few months.”
“So you knew you were…”
“Carrying my heir,” Kal-El supplied when she couldn’t complete the sentence.
Lex nodded. “Clark told me when I woke up from being poisoned.”
“I must say you’re handling it very well.”
Lex smiled as Martha loaded his plate with all the most nutritious items on the table. She probably didn’t even realise she was doing it. “Well, I’ve had a while to get used to it. What about you? Are you all right?” He was worried that on top of everything else that this would be too much for Martha to deal with.
“Well, it’s a shock,” she admitted. “And I’m not sure I understand how this happened.”
“It is not your place to understand,” Kal-El snapped. “You will care for Lex Luthor and my son while I am gone. If you do not do this, then I will kill you.”
“Gone?” asked Lex, keeping his eyes lowered so he wouldn’t have to see the look of fear and pain on Martha’s face. “Where are you going?”
“There are some Kryptonian artifacts that I must retrieve while I am here. I will return before the birthing time.” He rose from his seat without another word and walked out of the door without giving either of them a second glance. Lex rose and followed as quickly as he could with the extra weight he was now carrying.
“Are you sure it’s wise to leave now?” Lex asked, placing a hand on Kal-El’s arm. “I don’t exactly have much experience with being pregnant and Martha is no expert on Kryptonian babies.”
“She knows more than you think,” Kal-El replied with a glance over his shoulder.
Lex found himself knocked to the ground as Kal-El soared into the air and disappeared from sight. He could only stare, body and mind numb with shock, at the sky.
“Lex,” Martha called, piercing through the haze as she helped him to his feet.
“I didn’t know he could fly,” Lex said weakly as Martha helped him back into the house.
“Neither did I.”
* * *
“He said something just before he left,” Lex said after he had managed a drink of water and a little bit of food. “He said that you knew more about Kryptonian babies than I thought. What did he mean by that?”
Martha said nothing and simply looked down at her hands, which she'd folded in her lap.
“You knew, didn’t you,” Lex pressed. “You knew he was different. Have you always known?”
Still nothing. She couldn’t even bring herself to make eye contact with him.
“Martha, I’m carrying his child. I think any secrets you feel you have to keep about him are a moot point now.”
Finally, she raised her eyes to meet his. They were shining with tears. “The first time I met Clark, he was lifting up our truck. He was three years old.”
Lex eyes widened, even though she was confirming what he already suspected. “So you’ve known all this time?”
“He was just a little boy, Lex. If I’d told anyone, he’d still be in a lab somewhere today. Surely, you understand why I kept it a secret.”
He ran a hand over his swollen stomach as he took in her words. There was nothing natural about the pregnancy, yet he still felt nauseous at the thought of anything happening to his child. He reached across the table and took Martha’s hand in his.
“I think I can see where Clark gets his caring and thoughtful nature from.” At the sound of Clark’s name, her tears started to fall. Lex squeezed her hand in sympathy. “I know. I miss him too.”
* * *
He was amazed at how quickly he and Martha fell into a routine in Kal-El's absence. She would make them both breakfast and chat about the news or what was happening in Smallville. Afterwards, they would take a walk around the back of the house where no one could see them so that Lex could get some fresh air and sunlight. The baby liked this part of the day in particular and would squirm and kick as soon as Lex stepped into the sun. It had startled him at first, but he soon found it comforting and almost reassuring.
Afterwards, he’d take a nap and Martha would do some chores or go to the hospital and visit Jonathan. She was always home before Lex woke up and, in the evening, they’d have dinner together and watch a bit of TV.
It was a strangely comforting time in Lex’s life. He’d always dreamed about being part of a loving family, and he suspected this was the closest he was going to get to that. The only unspoken rule that he and Martha had was that they never discussed Kal-El. Lex was surprised and saddened to find that he didn’t miss him. He hadn’t been aware of it at the time, but being around someone who had Clark’s face but none of Clark’s kindness and warmth had hurt. A lot.
With Kal-El gone, Lex could concentrate on remembering Clark and working out a way to get him back. It wasn’t impossible. Nothing was impossible. The baby growing inside him was testament to that. He just needed a plan.
It was obvious Martha felt the same way. He’d catch her deep in thought sometimes and he knew she was thinking of ways to get her son and her husband back. She was a resourceful woman, he’d seen than when she’d been working for his father, and he didn’t doubt that between them they could come up with something.
“Is there anything special you know about Clark,” he asked her one evening after dinner. “Anything that might help us get him back?”
She shook her head sadly and sighed. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about since he left. It’s all I can think about, but I haven’t come up with anything. The only thing that hurts him is the green meteor rock, and the red one makes him…well, sort of like he is now actually.”
Lex thought about this for a moment, his scientifically trained mind working through various factors and equations. “Maybe that’s what we need,” he finally said. “What’s happened to him this time hasn’t been caused by any rocks. I’d have seen them if that was the case. So maybe if we expose him to the red rocks now they’ll have the opposite effect.”
Martha looked doubtful. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Lex. If it doesn’t work, he’ll be even worse than he is now.”
“I’m willing to take that chance if it means we might get Clark back, aren’t you?”
She hesitated for a moment and then nodded. “All right.”
* * *
“Did you get it?”
Martha nodded and placed the small box in Lex’s hand. “It won’t have any effect while it’s in the box,” she explained. “Lead protects him from the radiation.”
Lex nodded and slipped the box into his pocket. He could tell that Martha was nervous by the way she kept moving around the room straightening pictures and moving ornaments. He was nervous too. If this didn’t work, it could prove fatal to both of them. He wasn’t going to back down though. Not now. Not if it meant getting Clark back. He’d willingly give up his own life if it meant bringing Clark back into the world.
“So what do we do now?” Martha asked. “We don’t even know where he is.”
Lex had already thought about that and had come up with a plan. He knew that Kal-El would always be within hearing distance of him. He closed his hand around the box in his pocket, stood in the middle of the room and screamed.
“What is it?” Kal-El demanded, with them in the room a few seconds later. “Is there a problem with my son? Answer me!”
Lex closed his eyes, sending out one final prayer that this would work. Then he pulled the box out of his pocket and flipped open the lid. He saw Kal-El’s eyes flash red and, for one split second, he thought it had worked. Then he saw the sneer.
“So, you thought you would try and do me harm?” Kal-El said with a dry chuckle. “That was very foolish of you.”
“I just want Clark back,” Lex said, looking Kal-El directly in the eyes and refusing to show him any fear.
Kal-El sighed. “I have told you before that the one you call Clark is gone.”
“I refuse to believe that.”
“It doesn’t really matter what you think,” Kal-El replied with a shrug. “You are irrelevant.”
Lex felt the cold taste of fear burning at the back of his throat. “I’m carrying your son.”
“I shall simply create another in a less…difficult host.”
A tight hand prevented him from making any further arguments. He struggled and kicked, but his vision started to fade as he was lifted from the ground and pinned against the wall. This was it. He’d taken a gamble and he’d lost.
He could faintly hear Martha screaming in the background and he hoped that his death would at least satisfy Kal-El’s bloodlust and that she would be spared. The one thing he regretted was that he was bringing yet another loss to the kindest woman he had ever met.
He prepared himself for the end, but instead found himself crashing to the floor and, for a moment, he blacked out. When he came back to himself, gulping air in ragged breaths, he saw Martha standing over Kal-El with a piece of green meteor rock in her hand and a look of grim determination on her face.
“Get out of my house,” she hissed in a low and dangerous voice that he had never heard before or had imagined she was even capable of using. “Get out now or I will kill you.”
He didn’t doubt that she would do it, and his eyes drifted to Kal-El who was crouched on the floor in front of you. He was pale, his face bathed in sweat, but he still glared at her with a seething hatred in his eyes. “This isn’t over, Martha Kent,” he growled as he lurched to his feet and staggered to the door.
As soon as he was gone, Martha dropped the rock and ran to Lex’s side. “Lex, are you all right?” she asked as she helped him to his feet and guided him over to the couch.
He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, Martha. You saved my life.”
She smiled and choked back a sob. “I never thought I’d be saving anyone from my own son. Clark really is gone, isn’t he?”
Lex shook his head. “No, I still won’t accept that. There must be another way to get him back. I just need to think.”
“No, what you need to do is rest.” She lifted his feet and carefully swung them up onto the couch before tucking a cushion underneath his head. She draped a blanket over him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He was asleep before he even had the chance to thank her for taking care of him.
* * *
When he woke up the first thing he was aware of was how much his throat hurt. The second was that he was not alone. He could hear hushed voices nearby and whilst he recognised one of them as Martha, the other one was new to him. He lay still for a moment, feigning sleep so he could hear the discussion.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” Martha said. Lex could hear how broken her voice was and how lost she sounded. “You didn’t see what he was like last time he was here. He tried to kill Lex.”
“And you stopped him,” the other voiced countered. “You’re stronger than you think, Martha. Clark needs that strength, and your love, if you want to get him back.”
“And you’re sure this will work?”
“I’m sure. If you don’t trust me, then at least trust Doctor Swann. Clark does.”
He heard Martha sigh. “All right…for now. I still want to discuss this with Lex when he wakes up. This concerns him too.”
He’d heard enough. He pulled himself to his feet with a soft grunt and padded into the kitchen to join Martha and her companion.
Martha was at his side in an instant, helping him to sit down and pouring him a glass of water. He was grateful as the cool liquid soothed his throat. “Lex, this is Bridgette Crosby.”
He knew the name, although he had never met her before.
“You’re Doctor Swann’s assistant,” he said, hating how weak and scratchy his voice sounded.
“She says she can help us get Clark back,” Martha explained.
He was immediately suspicious. Years of working with his father had taught him that everything came with its price. “Why are you so eager to help Clark?”
“Doctor Swann cares a great deal for Clark. It’s vitally important that he returns. He has a great destiny to fulfil. No one is forcing you to accept our help. That’s a decision you and Martha have to make. However, you need to remember that Kal-El as he is now is very dangerous. He has one goal and one alone…to take over the world. He won’t rest until all of mankind is enslaved.”
She pushed a box towards him. "The plan you had was a solid one. You just used the wrong kind of rock. This will help you get access to Clark. Whether you decide to use it or not is up to you.”
She pushed back her chair and stood up, looking at both of them. “I don’t doubt that you both care very deeply for Clark. Use the love you hold for him. It is a powerful weapon.” Then, with a sympathetic smile, she excused herself and left.
Lex looked at the box and then at Martha. “Do you believe her?”
“I want to,” she replied softly.
“So do I,” agreed Lex. “But I’m not sure we should.”
Martha shrugged helplessly. “Do we have any other choice? You know he’ll come back soon and we can’t stay locked up in here forever. Bridgette was right about Clark trusting Doctor Swann. Maybe we should too.”
He sighed and opened the box. The rock inside was the colour of onyx and like nothing he had ever seen before. He knew Martha was right. They had no choice. They had to get Clark back, or it wouldn’t be simply their own lives in danger.
“How do we find him? He’s not stupid enough to come back here again yet.”
Martha gave a grim smile. “I think I know where to start.”
* * *
In retrospect, he should have thought of this place sooner. The Kawache caves were where he had woken up after being poisoned. He’d been too woozy and disoriented at the time to think about it, but it certainly explained why Clark had spent so much time here.
The opening Kal-El stepped out of certainly hadn’t been there before and Lex surmised that its appearance now had something to do with the artefacts he’d been seeking. Kal-El regarded them both in amusement. “You should not have come here.”
Martha stepped forward, eyes blazing and her jaw set. “And you should not have taken my son.” She held up the rock and Lex felt his heart sink as nothing happened. He should have known it was too good to be true. He’d been tricked. They both had. Tears stung in his eyes as their last hope faded into nothingness.
Kal-El smirked and strode forward but, before he reached Lex, a white light flooded the whole room. The blinding light forced Lex to shield his eyes for a moment. When he was finally able to see again, his heart pounded with hope.
Kal-El had split into two, joined at the waist almost like co-joined twins and the two sections were clearly battling for dominance. Even though they were identical, Lex immediately identified Clark as the one whose face wasn’t twisted in hatred. “Come on,” he whispered. “Fight, Clark. Beat him.”
“Clark,” Martha called, her voice ringing through the caves and echoing what Lex was feeling. “I love you! Fight it, baby, please!”
Martha’s eyes met his just for a moment but her meaning was clear. She needed him. Clark needed him.
“Clark, come on, you can beat him!” Lex doubted it in his own mind, even though he didn’t want to. Kal-El was strong and seemed to have the upper hand as he gripped Clark tightly around the throat. Lex winced as he remembered those fingers around his own neck and how close he’d come to losing his life.
Now he was going to lose Clark, and that was unthinkable.
“Clark,” he yelled, his voice breaking with the strain on his still sensitive throat. “Don’t you dare leave me again! I love you!”
His words not only startled himself, but Clark and Kal-El, too. They both stopped fighting, just for a moment, and looked at Lex…Clark staring in amazement, Kal-El grimacing in disgust. That was all the distraction Martha needed, and she tossed the black rock to Clark, who wasted no time in stabbing it into Kal-El’s chest.
The wave of energy that came with the blow knocked Lex backwards but, when the dust settled, there was only one Kryptonian left standing. “Clark?” His heart was now pounding so hard in his chest that he worried for a moment that he was going to pass out.
The man's smile held warmth that couldn’t be faked. “Hi, Lex.” Then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed. Martha let out a choked cry and ran to Clark, pulling his head into her lap and stroking her fingers through his hair.
“Clark? Baby? Is it really you?”
“Yeah,” Clark murmured sleepily, his eyes still closed. “It’s me, Mom. I’m back.”
A smile twitched at Lex’s lips as relief like he had never known before flooded over him. He quietly walked back to the mouth of the cave, not even bothering to wipe the tears from his damp cheeks.
Clark was back.
* * *
“Let’s go home,” Martha said as they left the cave. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying but she was smiling and it was the first time Lex had been that since he’d first on the farm with Kal-El.
His eyes drifted to Clark and he felt his mouth go dry at the sight of him. Even though his eyes were just as red and he was clearly exhausted, he was still the image of perfection. “Are you all right?” Lex asked gently, not trusting himself to say anything more at this point.
Clark nodded but said nothing.
“I think he’s just tired,” Martha said as she helped Lex into the car. “He’ll be fine once he’s rested.”
Clark sat in the front seat and said nothing throughout the journey home. As soon as they were back, he disappeared upstairs, Lex presumed to find a shirt to put on. Martha busied herself in the kitchen, fixing some sandwiches and making some coffee.
“Are you all right?” Lex asked gently. The past few days had been a huge strain on both of them.
“Of course I am,” Martha replied, turning to face him. Her cheeks were streaked with fresh tears but her eyes with bright with happiness. “Clark is back and I have you to thank for that. I’d have given up if it wasn’t for you.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Lex replied. “You’re stronger than you think, and you’re forgetting that you’re the one who convinced me to trust Bridgette Crosby.”
She smiled graciously at Lex's insistence. “Well, whatever you think, I want to thank you for being here.”
“And I want to thank you for taking care of me. Not many people would have been as understand and accepting as you. You’re a remarkable woman.”
She gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re welcome. Would you mind checking on Clark? Just make sure he hasn’t fallen asleep before eating something.”
Clark wasn’t asleep. He sat on the edge of his bed, one of his usual red and blue plaid shirts hanging from a limp hand. It was as though he’d gotten halfway through putting it on and then had simply just given up.
“Are you all right?” Lex asked for the second time that day. Clark looked so dejected and lost that he didn’t need to wait for an answer.
“I’m amazed you can even stand to look at me,” Clark finally said softly. “Especially after what I did to you.”
“What you did was save my life,” Lex replied as he carefully took a seat beside Clark. “The rest wasn’t you. I know that. Kal-El was so different from you that I’d never get the two mixed up.”
Clark frowned. “Lex, what you remember about what happened after I took you from the mansion?”
“Not much,” he admitted. “I remember waking up in the caves and that you’d changed. Kal-El didn’t waste much time before informing me of my…condition. I'd just assumed he’d done something to me while I was unconscious.”
Clark looked as though he was about to weep. “Oh, Lex…”
“What? What is it, Clark?”
* * *
~ Three months earlier ~
“You have to save him!”
Clark could only watch helplessly as Lex twitched feebly at his feet. Even with all his speed and all his powers, he was hit hard with the realisation that he was probably too late.
“It is not I who must save him, my son. He is your mate, and only you can bring him back from the brink of death.
Jor-El’s voice rang out through the cave, and Lex let out a soft whimper.
“I don’t understand!” Clark yelled into the darkness. “How is he my mate? What do I have to do?”
“The two of you have been joined since you brought him back from death the first time,” Jor-El replied. “Your lives are now entwined and your destinies are joined. Nothing can break that bond but death. To prevent it your spiritual bond must now become a physical one. You must join with him. He will feed on your energy and be strong again.”
“Join?” Clark asked helplessly. “What do you mean?”
“You must engage in sexual intercourse with him.”
Clark’s eyes widened and he took a step back from Lex’s prone form. “What? No! I can’t!”
“If you do not do this, then he will die. I know you do not wish for that to happen, or you would not have brought him to me.”
Clark glanced down at Lex. His twitching had slowed now and his heart clenched with the realisation that the longer he spent debating this issue with Jor-El the less chance Lex had of surviving. “There must be another way,” he finally said desperately.
“There is not,” Jor-El replied. “You must mate with him now or he will die.”
Tentatively Clark stepped forward again and crouched down beside Lex. “Lex? Can you hear me?”
Another soft whimper was the only response.
“I can’t do this,” Clark called out. “He’s barely alive. He can’t give me his consent.”
“That does not matter. It is a simple case of his consent or his life. You must hurry. He has little time left.”
He hated it. He hated himself for having to do it, but he knew he’d hate himself even more if he allowed Lex to die. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he stroked his hand over Lex’s smooth head. “I hope you’ll forgive me when you wake up.”
He trailed his hand down Lex’s back. Just feeling the smooth skin beneath his hand sent jolts of electricity running through him and Clark felt himself grow hard. He’d fantasized about being with Lex plenty of times, but never like this. It was cold, crude, and horrible.
With no lube handy, he was forced to spit into his hand and rub Lex’s opening to make it easier. He was almost grateful that Lex was too out of it to realise what was going on. Tears stung in his eyes as he entered him. “I’m sorry, Lex. I’m so, so sorry.”
He moved slowly inside him in an attempt to avoid causing Lex any pain or damage, and he almost recoiled when Lex shifted beneath him and let out a soft moan. “I'm so sorry,” Clark whispered again as tears rolled down his cheeks. “It’ll be over soon, I promise.”
Lex moaned again and began to rouse. “Cl...Clark?”
“I’m sorry,” exclaimed Clark, stricken with the realisation that Lex was at least partially awake and aware of what was happening. He felt dirty and disgusting. “I’m doing this to save you, I promise.”
“Feels…good…” Lex murmured. “Don’t…stop…”
Clark blinked in surprise. The poison had to be affecting Lex’s brain. It was the only explanation. “Are you sure?” he asked tentatively.
Lex murmured again.
“You must complete your task,” Jor-El prompted. It didn’t exactly make this any easier.
He started to move inside Lex again, still doing his best to be gentle but increasing his rhythm as Lex let out small moans of pleasure. He could feel Lex growing stronger beneath him, his body now taut instead of limp as it had been.
“Clark,” Lex moaned again. “Feels good. Want you.”
He grunted and reached an arm around Lex to take hold of his hardness and stroke him in time with his own movements. Heat flooded through him, as Lex seemed to grow stronger with each thrust and stroke of Clark's hand. Still weak from the poison, Lex came first, shuddering beneath Clark and going limp. Clark emptied himself with a groan and collapsed on top of Lex a few moments later and quickly rolled off to lie beside him.
Lex blinked at him sleepily and smiled. “Hello, Clark.”
Clark smiled back. “Hi. How are you feeling?”
“Good,” Lex replied. “Tired.”
“Get some sleep. We can talk when you wake up.”
“Okay,” Lex murmured, his eyes already drifting shut. “Love you.”
As his breathing slowed and evened Clark couldn’t stop the smile from spreading over his face as he stroked a hand over Lex’s soft cheek. “I love you, too.”
“You must rest, too, Kal-El,” Jor-El instructed. “You will need your strength for what lies ahead.”
He wanted to argue. He wanted to stay awake and keep watch over Lex but his eyes were already so heavy and he could barely move his limbs. “My name is Clark,” he protested as darkness swept over him.
* * *
“It wasn’t me who woke up after that,” Clark explained, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. “It was Kal-El and you were already…it’s my fault. I’ve ruined your life.”
“No,” Lex replied. “You haven’t. I’m not going to lie and say I’m not scared. I am…but I’ve had time to get used to this and I’m choosing to look at it as a gift. What matters to me more than anything right now is that this child is yours, not Kal-El’s. It’s a child made from love, not the desire to conquer and enslave. I’m sure that together we can raise him to be the good and strong man that you are.”
“Together?” Clark asked in surprise. “You don’t hate me?”
“Of course not. I could never hate you, Clark.”
“I tried to kill you,” Clark pointed out. “I used you.”
“You know as well as I do that wasn’t you.”
Tears rolled down Clark’s cheeks as he finally looked up at Lex. “I can’t believe you’re being so…amazing about this.”
Lex shrugged. “I love you too much to let go now.”
At those words, Clark’s face lit up and he closed the distance between them, catching Lex’s lips in a deep kiss. “I love you too, Lex. So much.”
Before they could say anything else, Martha burst into the room, her face radiating joy as she exclaimed, “Clark, your father’s awake!”
* * *
“A grandfather?” Jonathan asked incredulously as his eyes flitted between a very nervous looking Clark and Lex who was hanging back and standing near the doorway. “I thought I was years away from that.”
“I’m sorry,” Clark said softly. “I know I’ve been nothing but trouble since I came into your lives and now I’m dumping this on you as well.”
“Sweetie, no,” Martha said, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “Don’t ever think that. You’re a blessing in our lives and this baby will be as well. Isn’t that right, Jonathan?”
“I’ll drop out of school and get a job,” Clark said.
“You’ll do no such thing!” Lex and Jonathan exclaimed at the same time.
“Clark, I can promise you our baby will never want for anything,” Lex said gently. “You need to finish school. I can’t put into words how important your education is and I think your father agrees with me.”
Even though he was pale and weak, Jonathan looked resolute. “I never thought I’d say this but Lex is right. However, I want the baby to come and live with us. He needs to experience what real life is like. Not the pampered spoiled life of a Luthor.”
Martha let out a shocked gasp. “Jonathan!”
“Dad…”
Lex stepped forward, eyes locked with Jonathan. “I know you don’t like me, Mr Kent, and if you want to judge me based on what my father did then that’s your prerogative. But don’t you dare presume that I will be a bad father because my own was. If anything, I know better than anyone does what a child needs when growing up. I know about the love he’ll need, the nourishment and attention. I promise you he’ll get all of that from me and more.”
Clark smiled and placed a gentle hand on Lex’s shoulder. “You’re going to be a wonderful parent, Lex. I know it.”
“And so will you, Clark,” he replied as he placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Our baby is going to get the best of everything from both of us.”
“And what are you going to tell people?” Jonathan asked, looking more than a little uncomfortable watching his son kissing another man. “You can’t tell them the truth.”
“Actually, I think you’ll find I can,” Lex replied, relishing the look of horror on Jonathan’s face. “I’m sure nobody will be surprised if I disappear for a while and come back with a baby in my arms. I have a reputation, as you delight in telling me. I’ll simply tell people he’s my son. Clark will be welcome to spend as much time with him as he wants, of course.”
“Well, I’ll put myself at number one on the babysitting list,” Martha said with a smile. “You’re part of this family now, Lex.”
Jonathan stared at Lex for a moment and then sighed. “Yeah, you can add me to the list too. There’s one more thing we need to discuss though.”
“What’s that?” asked Lex, his heart clenched in trepidation. He was amazed he’d managed to get Jonathan to accept all of this so quickly
“The birth.”
“Oh.”
* * *
~ One week later ~
The pain was like nothing he’d ever felt before, and for a moment he wasn’t sure he’d be able to bear it.
“It’s okay, Lex,” Clark said gently. “I know it hurts. Squeeze my hand all you want. You can’t hurt me.”
He let out another cry of pain as another contraction hit him.
“Just breathe,” Martha soothed as he dabbed his face with a cool damp cloth. “You can do this.”
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Lex gasped to Jonathan who was standing over him with a look of grim determination.
“I’ve delivered plenty of calves in my time,” Jonathan replied. “Besides, we can’t exactly take you to a hospital.”
Lex cried out again and Jonathan nodded. “Okay, it’s time. You need to push now, Lex.”
He could feel the baby’s head pressing against the opening that had formed a few days ago. Clark had assured him it was normal for males bearing children and now he just had to pray that he was right. He pushed.
“You’re doing great, Lex,” Clark assured. Martha took hold of his other hand.
“Keep pushing,” Jonathan urged.
He pushed again. He was so tired. He just wanted it to be over so he could sleep.
“Breathe, Lex.” Clark soothed. “You can do this.”
Another contraction shot through him and he pushed again.
“You’re almost there,” Jonathan said with a smile. “One more push.”
“I…can’t…” Lex gasped.
“You can,” Jonathan snapped. “You’re no quitter. You’re stronger than that. Now push!”
He clutched at Clark’s hand, drawing on the strength that he found there and pushed. There was an alarming silence for a moment. Then a baby’s cry filled the air.
“He’s perfect,” breathed Jonathan, wonder and awe filling his voice.
Lex craned his head, desperate to see his son and cursing how weak and tired he felt. He heard Martha make a soft cooing sound and then she carefully placed his son in his arms.
His son. His and Clark’s son.
Jonathan was right. He was perfect.
“He has your eyes,” he murmured to Clark.
“And your mouth,” Clark replied, pressing a kiss to the top of Lex’s head. “Look at him, Lex. Just look at him.”
All Lex could do was nod. They'd made this wonderful thing. Together. It was a miracle.
“What do you want to name him?”
With everything that had happened, they hadn’t really had time to think about names.
“I like the name Conner,” Clark said. “I don’t know why. It just sort of feels right.”
Lex smiled down at the baby. “Conner Jonathan Kent.”
He heard a strangled sound come from Jonathan and, a moment later, he came into sight, standing over them, hands still streaked with blood from the birth. “Lex…you want to give the baby my name?”
He smiled. “Well, I certainly don’t want to give him my father’s. Do you mind?”
“Mind?” he asked in a choked voice. “I’d be honored.” He reached down and stroked a hand gently over Conner’s head before smiling at Lex. “Welcome to the family. Both of you.”
Lex closed his eyes and smiled.
The End.