Nightmare at 20,000 feet (part 4 of 4)

[jlvsclrk]

Title: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
Author: jlvsclrk
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating: PG13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: S4 – Goes AU during Scare
Word Count: 17,500
Summary: Lex has nightmares about being attacked by a monster only he can see.
Written for the Twisting the Twilight Zone challenge.

Thanks to twinsarein for the beta and danceswithgary for the lovely cover!

The story starts here


 

Chapter 4

The following day passed slowly, but productively for Lex. He snatched a few hours of dreamless sleep in the loft, feeling safe with Clark only a few feet away in the hammock. Clark woke them early and zoomed him to the mansion, then left for farm chores and school. Lex decided to work from home: teleconferencing wasn’t a perfect substitute for meeting people in the flesh, but it was an enormous timesaver. In between calls, he evaluated yet more research proposals and considered potential acquisition targets. The problem at LuthorCorp was never coming up with ideas: it was picking between them.

 

It was early evening before Lex received the call from the security gate he’d been looking forward to all day: Clark was here. He shut off his computer and gazed impatiently at the library doors. Why was Clark moving so slowly? Finally, Clark entered with his now normal flourish and came close to shouting, “Lex!”

 

“Right here, Clark. Everything okay at home, now?”

 

Clark made a strange grimace and replied, “Not exactly. I decided that if they were going to be all angry about Alicia, I might as well tell them you knew the secret. Try to get it all over with at once. They didn’t take it well.”

 

“Why am I not surprised? Should I be expecting a visit from Jonathan and his shotgun?”

 

“I’ll be honest, Lex. If Dad thought it would do some good, he probably would threaten you. Frankly, he’s probably hoping a building collapses on you or something wipes out your memory for good this time. But I think I made him understand that in your case, not knowing the truth made us all less safe. And I told them what you learned about the caves and Krypton. I think he appreciates you might be the best person to help me with all that.”

 

“And your Mom?”

 

“She’s still more upset about Alicia: she’s arranging an annulment since I’m underage. She says at least you’ve shown yourself to be a friend, even if they can’t approve of everything you’ve done.”

 

“Good to know.” Lex paused and then resumed in a teasing voice, “So did you tell them about the kiss?”

 

Clark flushed slightly and ducked his head. “No, I thought it was too soon to talk to them about it when we hadn’t had a chance to talk it over ourselves.”

 

“So there’s something to talk about? You feel something too?”

 

Clark shuffled uneasily but admitted, “Something. I’m not sure what though. If it’s just curiosity or something more. It’s not like it was with Lana – that always left me kind of breathless and confused. You make me feel sharper somehow. Stronger, even when I let my guard down. I don’t need to be totally in control around you.”

 

Lex smiled. Perhaps that was part of the attraction for both of them: finding someone who was strong enough to share their burdens. “Good to know. And just so you know, I don’t want anything to happen until after you’re 18. If we’re right for each other, I want it to last. And we’ll probably be under the public microscope every step of the way. I don’t want there to be any hint of scandal surrounding our sex life together.”

 

Clark, of course, blushed at the last, clearly not having gotten so far in his head. Lex made a mental note to investigate the Kryptonian sex drive extensively with the AI. Clark looked human enough, but was bound to have some profound differences lurking beneath the perfect skin. Lex thought it lucky that Clark was attracted to human beings at all. It struck him as a near miracle for Clark to find him desirable. Maybe it was fate.

 

Lex tossed Clark a pool cue and challenged him to best out of seven. They were evenly matched: Lex because of his understanding of strategy and Clark with his talent for shot making, probably because his mind subconsciously calculated the angles more accurately than all but the best super computer. Clark admitted he’d always been exceptionally good at math, yet another ability the Kents had counseled him to hide. That’s why Clark preferred writing: it was something he had to work hard at and could take pride in.

 

Lex was surreptitiously admiring the sight of Clark lining up a shot when a commotion broke out down the hall. Clark stood up and squinted oddly. “Trouble,” he declared tersely. “I can’t make it out. Wait. Look out!” Clark shouted at something only he could see and turned to Lex with an ashen face. “They’re hurt. Your perimeter security. Something just tore through them like they weren’t there.”

 

“Damn.” Lex dropped the pool cue and started to move towards the hidden revolver in the study, but the doors to the game room burst open before he could get far. Countess Isobel posed in the entrance for dramatic effect, her raven hair swirling in the whirlwind created by Tim at her side.

 

Clark stepped in front of Lex, protective as ever. “Stop. I won’t let you hurt Lex. He’s done nothing wrong.”

 

Isobel gave him a pitying glance. “He is not the one I seek. I came for you, farm boy. You are the key to what I need.” She raised her hand and a beam of purple light burst towards Clark, too fast for even him to dodge. It knocked him back into Lex, who crumpled to the floor from the impact.

 

“Hey,” protested Tim. “Leave him alone. You promised – Lex is mine.”

 

Isobel shot him an annoyed glance. “Little man, do not presume to tell me what to do. I agreed to let you live in exchange for your help in attacking this fortress. And I owe you a debt for liberating me from my host. But do not stretch my patience.”

 

Tim gave her a wary look then shifted into sand. He started to swirl towards Lex, while Isobel stalked towards Clark. She raised her hand and discharged another burst of purple light. This time Clark was more prepared and only took a glancing blow.

 

“Isobel, stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

 “I know, sorcerer. The women of my family have long been enchanted to protect them from your kind.” Isobel smiled in twisted glee. “But I look forward to hurting you. The stone you have stolen will not respond to me unless you speak your consent. Last time, you did so with a kiss. This time…”

 

Isobel made a motion with her hands and two of Lex’s fencing swords flew into her reach. She spoke a spell, then threw one of the swords towards Clark. He staggered backwards, shocked when it pierced his skin. He stared numbly at Isobel, then pulled the sword out of his shoulder. He raised it to his best approximation of the en garde position as Isobel raised her own sword and attacked with a flurry of blows. Clark’s limbs were soon covered in a series of cuts. His reaction time became slower and slower with each one.

 

Meanwhile, Lex staggered to his feet and tried to back away from the sandstorm created by Tim. He made a little headway each time Tim paused to taunt him, only to pay with a punishing sandblasting when Tim sped up again. Although he tried to protect his face, the constant pounding of the sand particles tore at his clothes and scoured away the top layer of skin. Before long, deeper welts started to open, each stinging like he'd been lashed. But finally Lex reached his destination and reached behind him. He shouted, “Clark! Switch!”

 

Clark gave him a startled look, then did a quick turn away from Isobel. Lex shifted smoothly into his place and raised the epée from the wall behind him for attack. He probably wouldn’t be able to stop Isobel for long, but he trusted Clark would make the most of the opportunity.

 

Tim had paused for a second, startled by the change of targets. Clark hit him hard, sending him flying into the far wall. Plaster rained down on Tim’s head, and he stared angrily at Clark. “Why are you helping him? I’ve heard your father talk about the Luthors: I thought you’d understand. They’re ruining this town.”

 

Tim then shifted into sand and formed a whirlwind around Clark, cutting off his air supply. Clark started to choke and in desperation, his eyes glowed red as he switched to his most dangerous weapon, heat vision. Tim screamed as the heat fused together the sand grains, causing him to solidify. Clark stared at him in grim satisfaction and declared, “Lex isn’t his father. He’s my friend, and I’m proud of that.” He then tapped Tim on the head, knocking him out.

 

“Clark!” came a shout from the far side of the room. Lex was in trouble, although he’d managed to get in a few hits on Isobel. He was trying to keep her out of breath to prevent her from uttering another spell, but the constant attack required to do so was taking its toll. But he still had time to pass on one last revelation to Clark. “The tattoo, Clark! The stone marked Isobel with her weakness!”

 

Clark’s eyes widened as he looked at the stylized LL tattoo on Isobel’s back. He then leapt across the room towards her, taking one last cut from her sword in the process. With one hand over her mouth, he swept her up: his powers were somehow muted by the contact but he ignored the pain. He ran through the door to the adjacent gym room, then crashed through the glass wall separating off the pool. He then took a deep breath and leapt into the deep end. The water closed over his head, and Isobel struggled frantically in his arms, dragging him further down. Lungs burning, he finally seized control and pulled them back up to the surface. Breathing hard, he watched as the purple glint in her eyes dimmed.

 

Lex had run after them and now knelt down at the pool’s side with a concerned look for Clark, then turned to Isobel. “You wanted Clark to reveal his secret, but I think you now know. He’s no simple farm boy, nor a sorcerer.” Lex sketched a symbol in the air resembling an S inside a shield. “He is Kal-El, rightful heir to the House of El, owner of the Stones of Knowledge. Your family swore to protect them in the event of his coming. Do you stand by that vow?”

 

Isobel clung to Clark for support, out of her element and powerless in the water. “It has been so long. My family gave up hope and thought to use our Stone for their own advantage. I tried to stop them, and they killed me. A spell kept my spirit alive, awaiting my opportunity, but every moment of my existence I remember the heat of the flames. Do I not deserve vengeance?”

 

Lex quoted, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.”

 

Clark shot him a look, disturbed by biblical references under the circumstances, then spoke to Isobel. “It’s not right to punish the living for the sins of their ancestors. If you really meant to protect the Stones, then trust me. Find peace and release my friend. Lana deserves her chance to make a mark of her own.”

 

Isobel sighed, drained by the long centuries held captive to a spell. “And yet, my sworn task is not complete. The Stones are not yet united. Only one of them is safely in your care.”

 

Clark replied, “Lex and I are working on that, I swear. And Lana is a worthy heir of yours – I’m sure she’ll help us in any way she can.”

 

Lex smiled at a sudden thought. “And there’s one thing you can do for us that no one else can. I’m worried that the place where the Stones are to be united has been infiltrated: if so, they may not be safe from our enemies. Can you prevent this?”

 

Isobel tossed her head and gave him a disdainful look. “My abilities far surpass your understanding, foolish boy. The ability to protect a home against a thief or a spy is a simple task for one who has mastered the veil of death.”

 

Lex continued to smile. “Good. So one last spell and then Clark will release you from your vow to the House of El. Deal?”

 

Isobel looked at Clark, who added anxiously, “And Lana is free too, right? You’ll leave her alone?”

 

Isobel nodded slowly. “If you release me from my vow, Kal-El, I will find my peace guarding the Stones. I will no longer be capable of taking physical form.”

 

At this, Clark sighed with relief and shook her hand. He then made to get out of the water but Lex waved at him to stay put. “Wait. Before we let Isobel out, I’m going to fetch a few buckets of water just in case. I believe Isobel will stand by her vow but… ‘Trust but verify’ as they say.”

 

Isobel gave his a solemn look. “You start to grow wise. Perhaps time will prove you a worthy companion to Kal-El.”

 

“He already is,” said Clark loyally. “And call me Clark,” he added with a dazzling grin. He then playfully shook his head, spraying water around the room. His eyes glinted blue-green with happiness.

 

Lex smiled back, his eyes shining blue-grey with delight. “We make a good team, Clark. Yeats said it well: ‘Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.’”

 

Maybe Lex imagined that Clark’s eyes flickered red in response.

 

***

 

Many hours would pass before Lex could rest that night. Since Clark’s powers didn’t function well around Isobel, they decided to split up. While Clark remained at the mansion to destroy the security footage and call in the police, Lex drove with Isobel to the caves. She cast her spell and the “LL” tattoo on her back faded while the corresponding symbol on the cave wall glowed purple. The purple light then vanished from Isobel’s eyes, and her body crumpled to the floor. After checking her pulse, Lex called the police saying he’d found Lana based on a tip from Tim during the fight. The overtaxed ambulance service took nearly an hour to arrive and transported her to Smallville Medical, where she was placed in the same room as Jason due to a shortage of beds.

 

He then spent hours dealing with Sheriff Adams, not to mention the press that descended on the mansion when they heard about the home invasion. He acutely felt the need to replace his injured security force, many of whom would take months to heal. He had to find people who were good enough to control access and handle the ordinary attacks, but sufficiently unobservant when it came to Clark’s powers. He’d also need to revamp home surveillance completely because of the risk of exposing Clark. Maybe he should just get rid of it all and say he was afraid of corporate espionage since he worked so much at home. His staff, well aware of his power struggle with Lionel, would certainly believe that.

 

Martha came over and fussed over Clark’s injuries, slow to heal because of his vulnerability to magic. She also applied first aid to Lex’s own wounds from Tim’s sandblasting, equivalent in many places to second degree burns. She listened carefully to how Lex deftly handled the press, trying to minimize the roles of Clark and Lana to maintain their privacy. Lex misdirected them by sharing selective parts of the truth, a talent that she admitted to him would be useful in the years to come with Clark. She then prepared to take Clark home, but first he asked for a few moments alone with Lex.

 

They retreated to the panic room and, before Lex could get a word out, Clark grabbed him and pulled him forward for a kiss. It wasn’t a gentle kiss, no hint of tenderness or shyness. Instead, Clark’s mouth was firm and demanding against his. Lex moaned as Clark sucked at his upper lip and then started to nibble. Lex raised his hands and started to trace the contours of Clark’s face, seeking the pleasure points: the shell of his ear, the hollow of his throat. Clark’s eyes flickered shut, and he opened his mouth to let his tongue come into play. Lex responded in kind and started to suck on Clark’s tongue. Clark leaned in closer. With a jolt of satisfaction, Lex felt Clark’s erection press against his thigh. He shifted slightly to align their cocks, and both gave a groan of pleasure.

 

Panting slightly, Lex pulled back and admired Clark’s flushed skin and reddened lips. He noticed that even as Clark rubbed his lower body against Lex, his arms were awkwardly held away from his sides. Those big hands were rhythmically clenching and unclenching. Lex longed to feel them against him, but assumed Clark was afraid of being able to control his strength. That thought was both thrilling and sobering to Lex, who finally summoned the will to step backwards.

 

“Hey, what happened to not being sure of what you felt?”

 

The look Clark shot him reminded Lex of that day when Clark was first exposed to red kryptonite: pure sex. He nuzzled Lex’s neck and mumbled, “I’m slow, but I’m not stupid, Lex. I realized how much I need you when I was floating in the water and heard you talking Isobel onto our side.”

 

“And the fact you need me makes you want me? That’s a bit backwards by earth standards.”

 

“Alien, you know. And then I heard you dealing with the press, and it just hit me. A bit awkward with Mom there.”

 

Lex swore, “Damn, not to mention half the police force and press corps of Metropolis. Clark, we have to leave this room now or there’ll be a scandal to end all scandals.”

 

Clark smiled, showing his fangs. “Exactly. We leave now and the press will drive themselves crazy looking for proof of something that never happened. And anytime they think they notice something fishy about us, they’ll think it has something to do with our no doubt torrid and illicit sex life.”

 

Lex looked at him with a combination of shock and admiration. “You’ll be pigeonholed: the first and only Lex Boy. Don’t you mind?”

 

Clark gave one last nuzzle, then pulled away and adjusted his pants. “Just as long as you never try to give me a diamond earring. Let the tabloids write what they want: the people I care about will know the truth.”

 

***

 

After the Kents left, the police started herding the press away, then gradually thinned out themselves. Lex sent a series of emails to reschedule all his appointments for the next day: under the circumstances, a sick day seemed well warranted. His skin ached in the portions where it had been sandblasted, so Lex dropped in at Smallville Medical for more care and pain killers. He checked in on Lana who was still unconscious, but stable. He crossed paths with Sheriff Adams again, who assured him that her people would be guarding the mansion and then personally drove him back home. Finally, he reached his bedroom and gratefully lay down to sleep.

 

White, bright light surrounds him. He floats effortlessly above the clouds, then dives down to survey the city below. With pride, he sees the new LexCorp Tower under construction, a glittering monument to the largest company in North America, and the best employer as rated by Forbes. Not far away, he sees the edge of an enormous park dedicated to the natural ecosystem of Kansas. He turns to the man flying at his side, the one who literally makes him float with a touch of the hand. He nods toward the park. “Good idea that.”

 

The man smiles. “Dad would hate so much good farmland going to waste. But it’s valuable habitat for endangered species, not to mention a good place for a knock down battle.”

 

“Speaking of which…” Lex nods towards an odd looking craft flying towards them, bristling with what Lex’s practiced eye knew to be weapons. “It’s probably not even human.”

 

“Hmmm,” the man murmurs, squinting into the distance. “Makes it easier.” In most fights, the man has to hold back all but the tiniest fraction of his strength. He sometimes looks forward to the opportunity for a good brawl with the galaxy’s strongest villains.

 

The man cups his hands around Lex’s neck and squeezes gently. Lex shudders with pleasure at the alien gesture, one that marks him subtly as the man’s mate. He then reaches down to activate the device on his wrist stamped with the symbol of an S inside a shield. He now can fly under his own power, though no longer shielded by the man’s protective aura.

 

“Do you know how to stop it?”

 

The man smiles at him fondly. “You know my routine. Wait and see if it’s hostile. Warn it. Hit it soft, then harder, then harder still. Use the heat vision if all else fails. Anything trickier is where you come in.”

 

“The never ending battle – round 802. Do you ever get tired of it?”

 

The man leans forward and brushes his lips. “Not with you at my side. ‘Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.’”

 

“Sap,” Lex teases, secretly pleased the man read through his latest gift, a copy of Shakespeare’s completed works. He quotes in return:

“Haply I think on thee, - and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”

 

For the first time in years, Lex smiled in his sleep and dreamt of a brighter future.