Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating: PG
Category: POV, pre-slash
Summary: Clark has a late night encounter.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, much less these fine characters (if you know where I could buy them, please let me know *g*). I refuse to make any money off them in any event, so please don't sue me.
Notes: I'm a sucker. That's all I can say. Sick one little bunny on me and I'm gone. *sigh*
Spoilers: The Pilot


Beginnings
by Nicole D'Annais
Copyright 2001


Clark stared at Lana's door long after she'd gone inside. He was sorry he'd missed out on that dance she'd promised, but after everything that had happened, it was probably for the best. Such a strange evening--such a strange week.

Not that his life had ever been completely normal. There were always his secrets, the ones even his best friend had no idea about, like the fact that he could run faster than cars, or that he was able to *literally* pick up a house. Just a few minor things he had to keep from the rest of the world.

And now he'd learned he was apparently indestructible.

His entire life had flashed before his eyes in the seconds before Lex's car slammed into him. He'd remembered his parents, Christmas when he was six, and his mom's pot roast. He'd remembered nearly drilling a hole in his dad's arm playing catch, and breaking the truck door getting into it when he was ten.

He remembered a loud, fiery crash he could neither place nor explain.

Then he was in the water. He hadn't even realized at first that he was completely unhurt. He'd only thought of saving Lex. It wasn't until Lex said, "I could've sworn I hit you," that it occurred to him he *had* been hit, and hard. But he didn't even feel sore.

He hadn't felt a thing.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. He'd felt the cold water, the pressure on his lungs as he wanted to breathe but couldn't until he'd dragged Lex out of the car and to the surface, and the sharpness of that first breath hitting his lungs when he'd finally made it out of the water. He'd felt the near-death coldness of Lex's skin, and the contrasting warmth around his mouth, where the water hadn't chilled him as much.

But he hadn't felt any pain or injury. He wasn't even bruised.

His father hadn't seemed particularly surprised, once he'd gotten over the automatic need to drag his hand out of the chipper. How long had they expected to get by with lying to him? Did they think he wouldn't notice that he was different? Strange? A freak? Or did they just hide their heads in the dirt like the rest of the town and hope all the weirdness would disappear?

'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' He'd certainly proven that wasn't true. He'd fallen about as far from his tree as any human, or whatever he really was, could get. He didn't even know if one of the stars he could see up there was near his tree. And all he had to go on was some weird metal with letters he couldn't read.

And his even weirder reaction to Lana's necklace.

"I see you survived."

He jerked around at the voice behind him. "Lex. Hey. Yeah, I'm fine."

Lex nodded. "I can see that. How did you end up the latest scarecrow, anyway?"

"I guess Whitney doesn't like anyone talking to his girlfriend."

"Whitney should be more careful who he messes with. Messing with you could be dangerous."

Clark frowned. "Why?"

"Someone could get hurt."

"I wouldn't hurt him. Probably why he picked me in the first place."

"Who said I was talking about you?" Lex said with a crooked grin. "Anyway, I thought I'd make sure you were okay. You took off so fast...."

Clark shifted his feet. "Yeah, I had to make sure...well, I had someplace I needed to go."

"Sure. I hear those guys got some payback anyway. Their trucks are pretty messed up."

"Really?" Clark said, not quite meeting Lex's eyes.

"Yeah. Well, I'll see you around," he said as he turned to leave.

He'd gone half way down the stairs when Clark called out, "Lex?"

He turned back. "Yeah?"

"How'd you find me out there?"

Lex shrugged. "Luck."

"You always hang out in cornfields in the middle of the night?"

"You always hang from boards in cornfields in the middle of the night?"

Clark shook his head. "You're not going to tell me?"

"Can't tell you what I don't know. I'll see you," he said as he turned and walked out, leaving Clark to stare at the empty space long after he'd left.
___
END

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