Chapter 2: In the Dark of Night [By My Side]

Lying back at the foot of his bed, Clark could see out over the fields. The stars seemed so close and too far away at the same time. There they were, permanently on display where he could see them in their twinkling white bodies, so bold in the wide, open expanses. Always there, and yet he could never come close enough for his presence to be felt.

...light years away...

So far that he could spend his whole life traveling towards one of them and die before he ever reached his destination.

"Cheerful thought," he muttered sarcastically to himself, but continued to let his eyes wander over the familiar landscape of the winking firmament. It had always been an immense comfort to him, the clear lights in the sky-

�like guardian angels watching over me�

-but now that comfort took on another, deeper meaning. Was one of the "stars" his home? Could he actually be from a planet off in one of the distant but visible galaxies? One you could just barely see in the abyss and only through the eyes of the Earth's strongest, most powerful telescope? One that he'd probably never be able to actually see with any real detail because the telescope was only so strong and the target would come out looking all grainy?

More often then not he was stunned and taken aback by just what science could do, but at times like this, with everything out there and no real way to reach it� Satellites were like placing a child's toy boat on the ocean, only even the ocean eventually met it's end. Space was different. Space was infinite and incomprehensible as such. He saw all scientists as kids holding up a magnifying glass to the starry night, hoping for a glimpse at the end, their own personal chimera, or simply at something out there proving that there was life other than us. That we are not solitary and unaccompanied in the vast forever that is space. How ironically hard they try, constantly on the lookout on the exterior, but here lies the proof, in Smallville of all places. Inside their very own planet.

...their planet is right; it is their Earth, after all...

His stomach twisted, some in sorrow-

...I once thought of it as my home, too...

-some in homesickness, fear and anguish as his mind tried to ponder just how far away he was from his real descendents. He doubted anyone could. It made him feel so singular when he thought about how close he was to human, but how he would never fit, how he would never be like everyone here.

�in a way I'm sort of an outcast...

Clark was different- like him.

�him; yes, like him�

Not that Lana Lang didn't still hold his interest captive at times. She did and to an almost surreal extent. Clark still found his mind slipping off and away during class, sometimes during his moments of solitude, but not to it's usual locale. The new province was void of Lana altogether, a place where he seemed comfortable but� not really that self-assured. More like somewhere he'd never ventured. But it still felt like home.

�he- he feels like home to me�

Sighing, he stood up, crossing the short distance from his bed to the open area of his second floor barn-door view. A mile away he could see Lana's house, and he momentarily toyed with the idea of looking in on her, but it just didn't hold the mystery and romance it used to. She was still the very feminine and gorgeous beauty that had caught his attentions so long ago. The innocent seraph of Elysium that had been accidentally tossed to the earth.

What it must be like compared to heaven. A fiery hell for such a visage of angelic form.

�angelic form, yeah�

He smiled, feeling a little guilty as he pictured Lana in the locker room. Just as he had seen her more than a week ago. It was every boy's fantasy: x-ray vision at the exact right time. Okay, well, maybe not at the exact right time. He could have done without the whole falling off the rope and crashing to the floor deal in the middle of PE. Not to mention Pete's muscle, skeleton, and nervous system. Yuck. He could have really done without that, but it had almost been worth it.

Too bad she hadn't turned around.

Clark grinned, much preferring this train of thought. Not as somber, sad or puzzling as some of his others. Another had, as of late, been asserting his claim to Clark's thoughts and soul, and it was a little� bizarre. Lana, however, still held a very important part of his heart and she wasn't exactly slacking much in the area of his hormones, either.

All teen horniness aside though, she was a good and honest friend, someone he could trust. He felt he really knew her. Maybe it was because she too had been dealt with a tipped and biased hand from the stars, a hand more than ready to inflict pain and loss. Clark could relate, could sense her pain, taste her tears, and savor her grief because they were his own. He felt closer to her than most.

�most, but not all�

His breath quickened noticeably at the image presented lightning quick to his mind; an image of a darkly clad, pale human being, outward appearances trying desperately to convey the exact opposite of Lana. Clark knew differently. He knew about outward appearances and how reliable they were. After all, her appeared perfectly human, not a single piece of evidence-

�the meteor, pieces of the meteor�

-to say otherwise. He could hear the good inside of the man, could see the golden interior that lay hidden in dust and dirt within the walking callus that was thought to have very few, if any emotions. He knew that a trustworthy and humane side existed inside of someone who appeared so deeply apathetic. But did Lex?

Clark sighed and walked back to his bed, lying down in the dim light of the hay loft. The starlight from the loading door didn't reach the head of his bed, blocked by the wall, so while most of the room was bathed in silvery-white light, his face and upper torso was left in the dark. The symbolism did not escape him.

Looking up at the ceiling, a slight frown clouding his face, he could see that the young Luther didn't have the easiest life. Without a doubt people despised the surname, and anyone unfortunate enough to bare that lifelong burden. "Like father, Like Son", seemed to be the Luther motto. Their coat of arms could have been a dollar sign and blade. To Clark, carrying the Luther brand name was akin to being loaded down with a bolder the size of his father's truck.

Clark winced. At least it might seem that way for a normal person. An actual human being. He didn't know of anything- to him, at least- that could compare physically to the cumbersome reputation that the Lex had to bare. It was as if a monogram was permanently emblazoned across his forehead. People everywhere knew just who and what he was.

�at least they think they know him�

Lex was brave, though, even if most people didn't perceive that about him. He survives through the glares of hate coated awe and curious suspicion. Articles in every newspaper gleefully covering his mistakes-

�but also his successes�

-and his problems.

Even Clark's own father was blunt about his animosity towards the man, still so young. But the more Clark kept his attentions around his controversial friend, the more he learned that being a Luther meant that you had to take it. People automatically assumed you had no feelings, had nothing to touch emotionally. That could be the only reason that people were as curt and rude to Lex. Either that or they just didn't care and he wanted to think better of the people he'd grown up with since he was three, including his own father.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He figured he could understand Lex's loneliness. At least the actual 'being lonely' part. Lex had no father, very few friends-

�who?�

- and his famous name brought him fascination from people all around, but the wrong sort, always feathered with an ice cold disposition. Clark could never understand that, but at least he could empathize. People were pretty nice to him when they met and his family and friends meant everything to him. They were his strength. Sure, he was different, and Pete and Chloe didn't actually know that, but- if they did� If they did�

�if they did, what? What would they do?�

Clark guessed that Lex could take only so much before he either snapped or shut himself off completely, and Clark really hoped neither ever happened. Lex was only human, after all.

...what am I?...

He breathed in a deep breath and worked to rid himself of that sole and unshared, ever-present question. It wasn't easy. The damn thing popped up even when making PB&J sandwiches, or just opening his locker.

He tried placing his concentration more on the bald young man, than on himself.

�as if concentrating on Lex is ever hard�

His stomach began to unknot itself instantly and he began to relax. He could literally feel Lex's presence in the room.

Thump� thump� thump� thump�

Startled, he pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around. He tried to scout out the noise, but as soon as it came it was gone. He continued to look but saw nothing in his immediate view that could have been making the soft, almost rhythmic 'thump'. It sounded a little familiar, but he couldn't place it.

After a moment he plopped back onto his pillow, a little perplexed. He retraced his thoughts, and came back to Lex. Relaxing, he pulled up a picture of the older boy in his head, just to focus he told himself, but there was too much pleasure in seeing the pale, slightly smug face for him to really believe that.

�what would it be like to just give in and let go?�

This thought startled him, but he went with it. It wasn't a total surprise. He had sheepishly admitted to himself a week ago that he had found himself pulling towards Luther.

�how could you not?�

That Lex had come to his house the morning after the bank robbery� Well, it had effected Clark, even if it shouldn't have. After all, the twenty-something year old had the perfect excuse: Clark had been on the witness list, and knew Lex personally. At least, more personally then the rest of the witnesses. If something had been off or odd about Lex, then he would be the single person in the group that might have noticed. Coming to see him to check up with his story seemed entirely logical.

But from the moment he saw Lex standing in front of the screen door, making the typical Luther surprise entrance, he knew there was something else. The older boy had stayed close to Clark and had been very strange with eye contact and body language. Not to mention very quick to assert his alibi, just in case someone in the family-

�me; he wanted to make sure that I trusted and believed him�

-doubted the integrity of the known manipulation sovereign and expert exploiter. Clark had only known one side of Lex- sincere, a bit quirky and definitely complacent. Never less than completely independent and self-confident.

�in an almost endearing way�

To know that the Luther had come out of his way to make sure a friend knew without a doubt that he was innocent was touching to say the very least. Clark had picked up his subtle worry, and was even quicker to assert his own faith in Lex's words, even eliciting a small smile near the end of their conversation.

...the smile; aw, god...

A heat that had begun to grow in his stomach from the moment he heard the familiar voice had exploded warmly through his stomach and face. That was when he knew something was up. That heat was the kind he got around Lana, only� Well, more so. There was something about Lex that just- did something for him. When he caught himself pausing in the middle of a truly hectic day to remember that smile, he decided to just give up the whole 'pretending it didn't exist' act. It was too wonderful a feeling to neglect.

That same heat was filling his stomach pleasantly. He pictured Lex in the barn with him.

�what would it feel like to be able to look deep into those eyes when they're not concealed behind that veil; what was he afraid of?? maybe he feared someone might discover a vulnerable child beneath the fa�ade; was it even possible that�

Thump� thump� thump�

The sound actually scared him this time, louder and more intense. It had cut his thoughts off again, and he deeply resented this. It was sort of a padding sound, like� running?

Thump� thump� thump�

He wasn't sure, but- maybe if he�

Nope. As soon as he tried to focus on the sound, tried to find the damn thing, it disappeared. Frustrated and realizing that this could be another haywire sense coming to, Clark rolled his eyes and brought his hands to his face, covering it. This gave a whole new meaning to "coming of age".

...wait a minute...

He was just now making a connection that could mean something. This wasn't the first time he'd had this problem. He had heard his parents two days ago when they weren't around. He'd been hungry and had been thinking of going down to eat breakfast with them. He really wanted to see them, as he had fallen asleep thinking about his real parents and desperately needed the comfort of people he knew loved him.

...what better way to get rid of a child than to send it on an interstellar journey to another planet...

He pushed the ridiculous thought out of his mind and returned to the other day.

As their voices had drifted into the barn he had eagerly headed down, thinking they were there. Soon as his foot hit the first step he had lost the sound. He had called out, tried to look for them, tried to follow their voices, but they weren't there. Eventually heading to the house and finding them busy in the kitchen, he tentatively got a plate, sat down and ate, not bothering to mention it. It was too soon after the whole incident with Tina Greer and the whole- well, morphing deal, to slam his parents back into the throes of his extra-sensory problems.

He turned to lie on his stomach and groaned into the pillow. Just how many more of these "powers" was he going to achieve? How much farther from normal was he going to become? Would he eventually become so different from others that he'd be walking around them unaware of them as people, as individuals, but instead as a group? A mass that he could only ever pretend to be a part of?

�that's what I am right now�

Not entirely, though. And if he wanted to still be able to see everyone in this same light, then people could never know. Never. He didn't want to become separate from them, not any more than he already was. He didn't want to be seen as a freak.

...sort of like Lex?...

If his parents knew about his new problem� There was nothing to indicate that they would grow tired of all that he could become, but he didn't want to push it. His parents had lives as much as he did, and if this was going to keep happening, they couldn't deal with both. He couldn't become that selfish. To ask them to give up their normal, human lives for him a little bit more each time he got more eccentric? No, he wouldn't do that. Besides, he wasn't six. He couldn't keep running to them every time he became confused.

Maybe he could get a handle on it by himself. He would just do what he did with his eyes when he wanted one of the x-ray tricks only- with his ears.

He shut his eyes, concentrating on his hearing, trying to block out everything else, searching for that sound� He got nothing. He tried harder and this time found the beginnings of what could become a major headache.

�great, so I can self-induce headaches, too�

He breathed in deeply, adding patience to his list of abilities to work on.

�okay, now think�

What had he been doing before?

�nothing, just thinking of Lex�

So if he didn't think of anything, didn't concentrate, the sound would just come to him? That didn't feel right at all. With every one of his advanced capabilities he had to work hard. He had to really try. Then it got easier. When he'd first gotten the x-ray visions, he'd had to focus with more studious attention then he had ever given anything.

�Lex�

What had he been doing before?

�then the sound of running�

There was something he was missing here.

�his parents; thinking his parents, then their voices�

Could he be concentrating on the wrong sense?

�running�

Was Lex running? So late at night? Surely running was an exercise best practiced in the morning, or at least late afternoon. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the older man, but a moment later an image snuck into his head. Lex running. Close by.

...I'm being so stupid; just a hunch, but-...

He sprang up in his bed, leaping off and over to the open door of his hay loft. There was no way, no way that Lex Luther wou�

Clark's mouth dropped opened a little. "Lex?" His voice was a whisper, shaky and unbelieving. There Luther was, running. He was about a mile and a half away, but his smooth head and pale skin made him recognizable from almost any distance.

�not to mention a little, um, shiny in the moonlight�

Clark dipped down to his telescope and tried to follow the bobbing runner, but he stood up before even getting a glance. If Clark's heart had begun to speed up before, it was breaking all laws of acceleration now. He suddenly understood. He had been concentrating on the wrong thing. He had wanted to be with his parents, and he heard them.

�I want to be with Lex, and I hear him�

He closed his eyes and breathed in. Bringing Lex into his mind, he concentrated not on his looks or his personality traits, but on how much he wanted to other boy beside him. How much he wanted to hear his voice. To see his eyes.

'-thump-'

Clark's heart leaped at the faint sound, and he felt the heat bubble in his chest rupture, bursting through his torso, head and limbs. His emotions spread through him like dye through warm swirling water.

THUMP� THUMP� THUMP�

He jumped at the sound, but did not open his eyes. Instead he tried to turn down the volume by retracting some of his intensity and, after a few seconds, succeeded.

�what's that- that other sound�

There was the steady backdrop of the running, and another rhythm just below that, barely within his range of hearing. It was faster, and almost doubling, like and echo. What was it?

�oh, God�

Clark's eyes snapped open and found the Luther still closing the distance. The two sounds were there. His feet pounding mercilessly on the dirt road that Lex had just recently turned off onto and...

�his heart�

Clark could hear Lex's heart. He didn't actually know, but he figured that this was a bad sign. If his heart was pounding so hard that Clark could actually hear it� He moved back to the telescope, adjusted it, and looked to his friend.

�oh, shit�

The look on his face was of pain and deep confusion and� Open fear. Something tore a path straight through Clark. Lex was afraid of something.

�but what in the world could Lex-�

Everyone was afraid of something. Clark remembered his previous thoughts. Vulnerability, maybe? Being open to people, instead of closed off and protected from hurt. He couldn't guess.

�fear�

He watched his friend and saw Lex's chin tremble. It was not much, a light movement really, but to Clark it felt like he'd been stabbed in the stomach.

Lex grimaced, and pushed himself harder.

�don't do that; you already look like death�

His heart rate started to elevate, and Clark began to get seriously worried. He had been too shocked to wonder exactly what Lex was doing out her,e but the thought now crossed his mind. How far had he been running and for how long? By the looks of him, he hadn't stopped in a long time.

�very long; maybe his whole life�

More importantly, why was here?

�did he come to me? for me? why?�

Clark heard Lex's breath hitch and saw him begin to tremble.

�what the hell is wrong with him? why doesn't he just stop??�

Lex's face suddenly became blank, no facial tell-tales at all, as if he had just switched himself off. He then brought his eyes more into focus and looked around and-

Clark lost him in the telescope. He moved forward figuring Lex had sped up, but he wasn't there.

...uh,oh...

His fingers began to shake as they pushed the telescope back to where it could find Lex. Sure enough, he had stopped, but he looked�

�confused; like me now�

He looked like he didn't know where he was.

�or maybe he knows where, but not why and how�

Clark slowly turned away from the telescope in time to see Lex move a little forward, awkward steps that would make a four month old look coordinated. Clark moved to the edge of the loading door, watching as his friend's eyes slowly moved up to meet his own. Clark was sure that his heart had just stopped.

�even from so far away, in little light, those eyes have such presence, such power�

Those eyes looked away briefly, then back and Clark's breath was again knocked a little ragged by the contact. He tried to swallow around his tightening throat. He watched his friend, mesmerized but with a growing unease as he realized he could still here the other man's heartbeat. It had already become a normal thing, second nature, fitting time, place, and emotion. It had just seemed right to be able to hear it.

But now it was not slowing down. Clark increased the intensity- and therefore the volume- of his want to hear the noise, briefly surprised and relieved at how easy it now was. But his relief was short-lived. Even though he had stopped running, Lex's heart was not giving up its own marathon.

�that can't be goo-�

"Clark."

His name breathed from within the troubled Luther, so clearly on edge, hit him hard, square in the soul. It felt as if Lex was right beside him, lips so near his ear that he could feel the breath like a light breeze. The airy murmur sent shivers down his spine.

Then Lex began to fall. And Clark had never moved faster. Not when outrunning his school bus-

�a game really; just something to annoy Chloe�

-not when� He couldn't remember running faster. Except when he had to find and save Lana from certain death

...is that what I'm afraid of? that he'll-�

"No," he said simply after jumping to the ground. A hundred odd yards of the world whizzed by him in a whirl of color, it's own eccentric beauty now common to Clark. He reached his friend mid-way through his fall, just in time to hear him laugh a weak and breathless laugh, void of all mirth, but not lacking in emotion.

His hands shot out to catch the tumbling Luther still dropping to the ground. He grabbed him by the arms and held him up, thankful as always for his extra strength.

"Lex?" he called softly, not really expecting an answer. The man was clearly out of it.

�he's soaked and burning up; just how long has he been running?�

He looked at the face, in turmoil even as he was unconscious. What could have possibly upset Lex this much?

�why'd he come to me?�

Clark put one arm around Lex's waist, and the other under his knees and lifted the man. As Luther's chest pressed lightly against his own, he noted with immeasurable relief that his heart had slowed some. Too much would have been something to worry about, as would not at all, but Clark was calmed by the fact that Lex seemed not to have killed himself.

�a good thing, a very good thing�

He made sure he had a firm grip before speeding back to his bedroom and gently placing the drenched body of his friend on the bed.

To be continued...

88888
The newest power that Clark is discovering in my little fic, is the same power that eventually lets him hear people calling "Help, Superman, help!" and Lois calling his name [even when she breaks a nail, damn woman!] later on in his life. This is him just now discovering it.