Lex stared thoughtfully at the women sitting before him. One black, one white. One smiling, one not. Matched physically in that they were both imposing, to say the least, at six feet and a good 150 lbs each. Hope, the black woman with braids and intelligent dark eyes, stared at him with something akin to amusement. Mercy, the blond haired and blue eyed woman, gazed at him with about as much interest as one would show in a rock. "I have bodyguards."

Hope's smile increased and she stated, "Not like us, Mr. Luthor."

No, definitely not like them. He hadn't been able to find out anything about their background aside from the fact that their last client was still very much alive, thanks to their efforts. He knew instinctively that they were quite possibly the last set of guards that he and Clark would ever need. Not that he really thought Clark would accept a bodyguard, the other man didn't think he needed one. But even Superman couldn't be vigilant 24/7/365 and it was for that one, unguarded moment that held a Kryptonite bullet that he was even considering such a drastic course of action.

"True," Lex finally agreed. "What brings you to me? I certainly haven't put any feelers out about acquiring new talent. Haven't even hinted about needing any."

The women exchanged a brief, silent look then Mercy spoke for the first time. "We go where we are needed. We are...not quite what you think we are."

Which means what, exactly? Lex wondered silently. That they were as alien as Clark? That they were mutants like those in Smallville? That they were telepathic twins? Smiling faintly, Lex replied, "I think you'd be surprised at just how much I can believe, ladies."

"Being Superman's lover would expand one's realm of believability," Mercy replied coolly.

His heart stopped for a split second before he smiled lazily and said, "Now that would be a coup, wouldn't it? A nice, stable home life with Clark Kent and an on-the-side lover of Superman. I'm flattered that you have so much faith in my prowess."

Hope laughed softly and informed him, "We are impressed by your prowess, but there's no need to feel threatened because we have this information, Mr. Luthor. We would never reveal it unless you wish us to do so."

"Is this an attempt to blackmail me into employing you? Because if so, it's not a very sound strategy," Lex pointed out mildly.

Leaning forward in her chair, Hope said, "No, sir. We are here because we need to be. The only reason Mercy brought it up was because you have to be completely comfortable with us. And for that to happen, you have to realize that we know everything about you and those in your life."

And why was Lex suddenly so certain that of the two, Hope was the more dangerous because of her apparent ability to emote, to sympathize? Lips pursed thoughtfully, Lex relaxed back into his chair. "You said, `because we need to be.' Are you saying that even if I don't pay you a cent, you're going to protect me and mine anyhow?"

"Yes."

Lex glanced to Mercy at the single word and frowned. "Why is that?"

"That's our business," Hope answered.

He was going to get a crick in the neck bouncing between the two of them and made a mental note never to situate them with one behind and one in front or he'd seriously get whiplash. Then he frowned at himself for even thinking about it. "This is a little too coincidental. My brother breaks out of prison and not two hours later you show up on my doorstep. Oh, and I really didn't appreciate the way you took out my security, by the way. I am now without a chief."

"You now have us. He was superfluous," Mercy said simply.

Eyes rolling, Lex countered, "That's not the point. Clark was fond of him and now I have to explain that our new bodyguards broke the man's right arm and leg and he's in a coma. Clark has this funny idea that people should be protected, not harmed. Ask before shooting and all that crap."

He could practically see them filing the information away for later use. Hope straightened up and assured him, "It won't happen again, sir."

"See that it doesn't," Lex ordered. He didn't know exactly where this would go, but they were the best and that was exactly what he needed with both his father and Lucas on the loose. "So tell me what you know about my brother's escape."

* * * *

Jimmy was in seventh heaven. He was munching on the first real food he'd had in days, courtesy of Clark springing for lunch for all three of them, and listening with wide eyes as Lois and Clark went back and forth about Lucas Luthor's escape. It was both incredibly confusing and an outstanding opportunity; not one that he was going to waste either.

Just as soon as he could stop eating. Like next week if Clark bought dessert.

"Jimmy? You think you could see if there's a connection between the guards who were killed and Lionel or Lucas Luthor? Any kind of connection, like a fourth cousin working at the crap factory out in Smallville who was a mutant locked up in some kind of secret lab by Luthor senior?"

After blinking in surprise at Lois' matter-of-fact question, and wondering why it didn't sound like she was kidding about the mutant thing, Jimmy nodded. "Sure thing."

"Great. That'll save me some time. And knock it off, Kent. I am not saying this is permanent, you get me?" Lois snapped.

Clark assumed an innocent expression and answered, "Did I say anything?"

"Fuck off."

Not knowing who was in charge of this particular relationship, or even if one of them was, Jimmy looked down at his plate and studiously dunked a french fry in the ketchup to make sure he had control of his own face. He was pretty sure that Lois wasn't as much of a bitch as she made herself out to be, but not positive. All the rumors had her as out for a story at any cost and she'd certainly never allowed friendship to get in the way. It had surprised the entire journalistic community that she'd not only taken on a partner, but shared the byline with him.

"Hey, Jimmy. You got a place of your own?" Clark asked abruptly.

Startled, Jimmy hesitated, then answered, "Yeah. It's not much, but you know, it's home."

"Damn."

Jimmy frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Well, if I don't get someone to take my apartment, the lease is going to expire and I don't really want to lose it. It's rent controlled," Clark answered with a sigh. "I was kind of looking for a roommate."

"But, I thought, you know. You and Lex Luthor were...um..." Jimmy stammered.

Clark's smile was conspiratorial as he agreed, "Well yeah, of course. But a guy's always got to have options, right?"

The grin was contagious, too, and Jimmy found himself nodding. "Yeah, sure. Um, how much is the rent?"

"Well, I'd want to split it fifty-fifty, and maybe take care of the utilities because you're doing me a favor, after all. If that's okay?" Clark asked hopefully.

Which didn't exactly answer the question. "No, it sounds fine, but...how much would my share be?"

"Well, I hope it's not too steep, but two-fifty?"

Jimmy frowned, even as his heart lurched. His current rent for a piece of crap studio shoebox was almost seven hundred. He could actually afford food if Clark didn't wise up. Forcing himself to be skeptical, Jimmy questioned, "Two hundred and fifty dollars? That's it?"

Wriggling his eyebrows, Clark repeated, "Rent controlled, remember? I got it when I was at MetU and haven't wanted to get rid of it. Still don't."

"Is it by the university?"

Clark shook his head. "Nope. It's about five blocks from the Daily Planet."

"Even as a doe-eyed freshman a la Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Kent knew he was going to be a reporter," Lois teased, nudging Clark rudely.

"Very funny, Lois," Clark replied, eyes rolling.

Shit. Clark was serious about this! He could tell from the way the other two were ribbing each other. Mouth practically watering at the thought of being able to have a real apartment and live like a human being again, Jimmy said, relief flooding through him, "So where is it? Can I see it tonight?"

Clark froze then said, "Um, it's not really fit for human consumption right now. Give me a night to toss the place?"

Grinning broadly, knowing that another night sleeping in the roach-infested apartment wouldn't kill him, Jimmy teased, "Bachelor-hood strikes again?"

Lois snorted and answered, "Something like that."

"One of these days you're going to find yourself dangling over a wall and Superman's not going to rescue you because you ticked me off, Lois," Clark threatened.

This was clearly an empty threat because Lois laughed, but Jimmy nearly swallowed his tongue. "You really do know Superman?"

Flushing, Clark nodded as he said, "Yeah. For a, ah, long time actually."

Wow. Things just kept getting better and better.

"Lois, I need your cell. I have to call Lex."

Though she gave her partner a grimace, Lois held out the phone.

Clark winked at Jimmy as he said, "I'm going to take this somewhere a little more private. You two order dessert. Not sure when I'll be back."

"God. Spare me from honeymooners," Lois bitched, grabbing the menu and opening it. "I'm ordering Jimmy two desserts because you're using up all my damn minutes. You can go for that, right Jimmy?"

Jimmy grinned. "I think I can manage it."

* * * *

Clark grinned back at Jimmy, even as he heard the echo of another rumble of hunger through the painfully thin frame. He didn't know if Jimmy just had a hyper metabolism like some people, or he hadn't been able to afford food, but suspected the latter. "Yeah sure. Gouge me, why don't you. I'll be back."

Jimmy started to protest as he walked away, but Clark heard Lois take the kid in hand. Smiling to himself in relief, Clark headed for the back of the restaurant. It turned out that Jimmy was actually only twenty years old and Clark remembered how much pride he'd had at that age. He snorted to himself as he thought, Oh yeah. Not like you've got less pride now, Kent.

Still. He wasn't too proud to ask Lex for favors anymore, especially where the welfare of others was concerned. He reached the open area by the restrooms and dialed Lex's office number again.

Lex picked up on the third ring with, "Ms. Lane, we really should stop this affair before Clark finds out."

Laughing, Clark answered, "Yeah, right. I believe that."

"What did you do to your phone, anyhow?" Lex asked, voice rich with laughter.

"I kind of squashed it."

There was a pause. "You squashed it."

"Flat."

"Okay then. Phone number four will be at the Planet when you get back."

"It wasn't my fault this time."

"Uh huh."

"It wasn't! Jimmy crashed into me and I slammed into the sidewalk," Clark protested.

"Who is Jimmy and are you all right?"

Clark grinned and answered, "Jimmy Olsen is our new assistant and I'm fine. He's actually the reason I'm calling."

"I sense money about to be spent."

"Well, maybe."

"Out with it, Kent. What do you need?"

Clark grinned at the indulgent tone and said, "I kind of asked Jimmy to be my roommate at a rent-controlled apartment I don't have, within five blocks of the Planet, with rent of only two-fifty, not counting utilities."

There was definitely a longer pause this time before Lex said, "And this apartment needs to manifest itself by when?"

"Um, tomorrow night?"

Lex snorted.

"Hey. You keep saying that you need a challenge, right?" Clark teased.

"Challenge. He calls it a challenge. You owe me *so* big for this," Lex informed him smugly.

Clark's grin broadened and he murmured, "You can take it out in trade."

"You bet your ass I will."

"Just my ass? Not my mouth too? Or, hopefully, both?"

Lex hissed in surprise then groaned, "You're officially dead, Kent. I have someone coming in five minutes and now I can't stand up to greet her."

Laughing outright, Clark replied, "You're so put-upon."

"So what time will you be home tonight?" Lex asked, deliberately changing the subject.

Still smirking, if only to himself, Clark answered, "Around seven. We're finishing up a late lunch here and I really do need to show Jimmy around the Planet. Then I'm taking him to supper."

"Should I be worried?"

"Oh yes. Absolutely. Because you know how much I love the emaciated waif look in a guy," Clark retorted.

The frown was obvious in Lex's voice as he asked, "That bad?"

"No, not that bad. He's just a little thin. Could be a high metabolism for all I know," Clark allowed slowly. "Just...I don't think so."

"All right. Everything will be set by tomorrow. I promise."

Clark sighed happily. "Thanks, Lex. I really do owe you one."

"Nah. It'll be worth the investment. The only rent control necessary will be his apartment after all."

"Lex," Clark warned.

"What? I can't make a profit while helping someone out?"

Eyes rolling, Clark replied, "I'll see you tonight. Try not to buy up the entire downtown before I get home."

A soft chuckle echoed through the phone and Lex pointed out, "What makes you think I don't already own what my father doesn't?"

"I'm hanging up now."

"I can tell."

"I love you, Lex."

Lex's voice dropped even lower, indicating that his appointment had arrived, as he echoed, "I love you, Clark."

Clark hung up the phone and turned to rejoin Lois and Jimmy at the table, feeling warm and full inside. Not too full that he couldn't go for dessert himself, though.

* * * *

Great. So now he not only had to think about how to tell Clark about Hope and Mercy, but find and buy an apartment building in downtown Metropolis, as well as sift through the urgent business that he'd put off to remain with Clark until he felt it was safe enough for Clark to leave the penthouse. Even knowing that the other man had felt ready to do so two days before hadn't pushed Lex into letting Clark do so before Lex felt he was ready.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he touched his intercom, waving to his 3pm appointment towards the wet bar. The woman, dressed much as a hippie might have, with long red hair, bright green eyes and dangling earrings, smiled in understanding. She'd clearly heard the end of the conversation with Clark, and did as she was silently told.

Janice, his incredibly valuable assistant, responded, "Yes, Mr. Luthor?"

Gathering his thoughts, Lex said, "Find Malcolm Jenson for me. I need to buy an apartment building within five blocks of the Daily Planet. Hopefully by the end of the day."

Janice didn't even pause before replying, "Yes, Mr. Luthor. Right away."

"Thank you, Janice. Oh, and have David pick Clark up from the Planet tonight and drive him and his friend wherever they need to go, would you?"

"Of course."

Lex smiled briefly at the faceless intercom and said, "Thank you."

Turning his attention to the woman waiting patiently, Lex stood and crossed to her. "So. Dr. Hilshire. What can you tell me?"

She smiled briefly and replied, "It's just what you thought, Mr. Luthor. The boy who survived had the same compound in his blood that you did. He was, undoubtably, brainwashed into doing what he did."

"That will be cold comfort to the parents of any of the victims, but perhaps comfort nonetheless," Lex murmured, sitting on the sofa and gesturing for her to do so as well.

"It's good that you got me in so quickly, before it could dissolve into his system and become untraceable."

"Yes. And the antidote?"

"I'm working on it."

"Estimated time schedule?"

She paused, eyes losing focus as she calculated, then, "Another two weeks."

"And how much to get it done in half the time?"

"I'm not doing it for the money, Mr. Luthor."

"No, just the fame," Lex observed sardonically.

She quirked an eyebrow at him and countered, "To receive validation after years of being ignored by the academic community will be more than payment enough."

"You're going to rub their noses in it."

"Damn straight I am."

Lex snorted at her emphatic agreement. "And about the other matter?"

Her eyes practically glittered as she leaned forward and answered with excitement, "It's incredible! I am so glad you trusted me with this project, Mr. Luthor! Eternally grateful as a matter of fact."

"Can you do it or not?"

She nodded. "Absolutely. I just need your go ahead to get started."

Lex hesitated, thinking about all the consequences that could come to pass if the worst happened, then stated, "You have it. The project is to be classified as Waterloo."

A faint smirk crossed her delicate features as she commented, "You always were far too into history, Mr. Luthor."

Lex shrugged, mocking himself. "One of these years you're going to slip up and call me Lex."

"Never happen," she replied, getting to her feet.

Standing as well, Lex informed her, "You have any resources and an unlimited discretionary fund to complete this project within six months."

She blinked in surprise, eyes again losing focus for more calculations. Finally she protested, "Mr. Luthor, your father has had years to work on this."

"And you have six months before I find another genius to finish it."

Sighing faintly, Hilshire nodded and said, "You're a pain in the ass to work for, I hope you know that, Mr. Luthor."

Laughing somewhat bitterly, Lex confirmed, "I have been told so, yes."

Part 3

Clark jerked to a surprised stop upon finding David waiting outside with the limo. A grin surfaced and he approached the older man with, "David! Hey, how are you?"

Echoing the smile, David took Clark's outstretched hand and answered, "Great, Clark, thanks for asking. Lex wanted me to drive you and your friend wherever you needed to go tonight."

Eyes rolling, Clark sighed in irritation. Even now Lex didn't really think he should have gone back to work. His powers were still off kilter, but aside from that he felt fine.

Grinning now, David pointed out, "He's just being a protective lover."

"Try a pain in my ass, uh, never mind," Clark amended, flushing as he heard how that really sounded. Clearing his throat, he hurriedly introduced, "David, this is Jimmy Olsen. He works at the Planet with me now. Jimmy, this is David McKenny, he works for Lex."

Jimmy smiled and shook the other man's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You too, kid. Any friend of Clark's," David said, opening the door. "Where are we going?"

"We were just going to Kilmartin's," Clark answered, shaking his head with a grimace.

David nodded and replied, "We'll be there in fifteen minutes with traffic."

"Which is why we were going to walk."

"Don't look at me. I just do what I'm told, Clark."

Clark snorted. "Yeah, right."

* * * *

Jimmy tried not to stare at the interior of the limo, but it was the first time he'd been in one. He hadn't even gone to his prom the year before, so he didn't have that to compare. Clark seemed

completely at home in it, practically ignoring it, and he realized that of course he would be. Clark and Luthor had been friends for like a decade before getting involved, though rumor had it that they hadn't spoken for a couple of years. Whatever the truth, Clark would be used to all of this.

"So did you get the information for Lois?" Clark asked.

Bringing his attention back to the matter at hand, Jimmy nodded. "Oh yeah. I found out a bunch of stuff that she seemed pretty excited about. She didn't fill you in?"

From the combination of anger and dismay on Clark's face, the answer was no.

"Fucking son of a bitch! She knows better than to pull stunts like this!" Clark swore.

Wow. Jimmy hadn't thought that Clark knew how to swear at all, never mind so...forcefully. He seriously had that farm bred thing going on, even though Jimmy knew that Clark was nearly ten years older than he was. Taking in the hard line to Clark's jaw, he was suddenly glad not to be Lois.

* * * *

Clark yanked out his new cell phone and instantly dialed Lois' number.

It rang twice. "Lane here."

"What do you think you're doing?" Clark demanded.

Lois sighed. "Following up on a lead."

"Without backup?"

"Clark..."

"No! Look, Lois, stop whatever you're doing and get somewhere safe, okay? I uh, I didn't fill you completely in about where Superman's been and why we haven't seen him recently," Clark admitted reluctantly.

There was a brief silence then, her voice hard as nails, Lois snapped, "What's going on, Kent?"

Sparing only a quick glance at Jimmy, who was sitting across from him with his jaw open, Clark grimaced to himself and replied, "Superman was injured last week. Badly injured. He lost the power of flight and currently is not invulnerable. So if you get into trouble, he won't be able to rescue you."

"I was taking care of myself a lot longer than Superman's been around."

"Yeah, I know, but if he had to listen to you die or something, I-I know it's something he'd never be able to live with," Clark whispered, his emotions momentarily getting the better of him. He loved Lois and if things had turned out differently between he and Lex, knew that it could easily have been Lois in his life.

"Fuck."

Clark breathed a sigh of relief at the defeated and pissed tone. "Good. Look, meet Jimmy and me at Kilmartin's, okay?"

"Okay. But you and me are going to have a little talk about trust and keeping things from your partner really soon, Clark."

Mentally adding it to the list, along with Lex's of "Important things I need to know about my alien lover," Clark half-grinned and answered, "I figured. See you there."

* * * *

Staring out at what had to be a rat-infested apartment, Clark felt his mother's recoil all the way from Smallville. There was no way that he could let Jimmy stay there, not even for a night. Trying not to show the horror he felt at how the younger man had been living, Clark said, "Ah. You want to spend the night with me?"

Jimmy froze, then said uncomfortably, "Um...look, Clark, I like you and all, but...um..."

Flushing, Clark interrupted hastily, "Not like that! No, God! Lex and I are totally and completely exclusive. I just meant, wouldn't you like to stay at our place, Lex's and mine, while he has someone steam-shovel the other apartment clean?"

Jimmy looked about as red as Clark felt for the misunderstanding and stammered, "W-well, you know. If um, if you don't mind putting up with me. You've already been really great about me hanging around you all day."

With a short, understanding chuckle, Clark assured him, "I felt exactly the same way spending my first real day at work with Lois. She made me feel like a bumbling idiot."

There was patent relief on Jimmy's face as he asked, "She did?"

"Oh yeah. Despite the fact that we'd already known each other for like, six months," Clark recounted, grinning. "It's what she does, Jimmy, trust me."

Sighing deeply, Jimmy admitted, "I thought she didn't like me."

Clark shook his head. "Oh no. If she didn't like you, you'd have been gone in five minutes or less. She was actually impressed with everything that you found out today."

"Impressed?"

"Yeah. I mean, not everyone could have tracked down that kind of dirt on Lionel. He's usually a lot better at hiding things than that," Clark pointed out. "And now we've got a good, solid plan on how to exploit it before Lucas can get anything else into place and send him the hell back to jail where he belongs!"

Jimmy, though still surprised, answered, "And if ever a psycho needed to be there, it's him. No offense since he's like, you're brother-in-law or whatever."

Nodding wryly, Clark leaned forward and poked his head over the partitioned area that he never kept up when David was driving, he said, "Please take us to the penthouse. Jimmy is not staying here tonight."

"Thank God," David muttered, putting the car in drive.

* * * *

As soon as the elevator opened, Clark heard the sounds of a fight and Lex's grunt of pain. He reacted instinctively, his eyes scanning the apartment to find Lex and...two women?... in one of the empty bedrooms, fighting. One of them had Lex pinned while the other was punching him in the stomach. Even as he ran to help, unable to speed there faster, he saw Lex kick out with his feet and slam into the woman punching him, sending her sprawling.

Clark burst through the doors and grabbed the woman holding Lex, putting her in a head lock and dragging her back from his lover. She fought him violently, but he was behind her so she was unable to get a good grip. Except on his wrist, which was starting to hurt like a son of a bitch from a grip like iron. She was exceptionally strong and, in his weakened state, Clark wasn't sure that he'd be able to knock her out before her partner got to Lex.

Lex...who was eyeing him with amusement next to the black woman who'd been attacking him. Both Clark and the woman he was slowly strangling to death, stopped moving as they both realized the same thing.

"Hey, Clark. Having fun?" Lex asked, smirking.

"Wow. What the hell's going on in here?"

In a split second, Clark found himself on the ground in what could only be termed a protective position while the black woman ran and grabbed Jimmy, slamming him into the wall, provoking a loud groan of pain. Struggling, Clark exclaimed, "Don't hurt him! He's a friend!"

The black woman allowed Jimmy's feet to touch the ground again, but didn't release him, keeping a hand tight around the young man's throat.

Irritated and confused, Clark gave a solid shove, knocking the woman above him onto the floor. She gracefully rolled to her feet as Clark got to his own, watching her warily. Shifting his glare to Lex, Clark demanded, "What the fuck is going on, Lex?"

"Introductions all around then," Lex said brightly, as though his chest wasn't one massive bruise and there wasn't a bloody slice on his abdomen. "Clark, this is Hope and that is Mercy. They're our new bodyguards."

Clark stiffened. "That's not *even* funny."

Lex's voice turned positively silky. "That would be because I'm not joking, Clark. Hope, please release Mr. Olsen and show him to the available guest room."

Hope let go of Jimmy and nodded, wordlessly taking the young man's arm and leading him away.

"Ah, see you later, Clark?" Jimmy called over his shoulder.

"I'll come and check on you," Clark called back. He then glared at Mercy and ordered, "Get out. I need to speak to Lex in private."

The woman hesitated, obviously seeing how ticked Clark was, but Lex nodded and she left, closing the door behind her. It didn't hang properly anymore, so he saw her taking up residence just outside it, which infuriated Clark even further.

Facing Lex again, Clark took a deep breath before speaking, remembering his mother's indoctrination of trying not to argue with someone you loved in real anger. Too many truly hurtful things could be said in the heat of the moment. "So. Lex. Make any interesting, potentially life-altering, decisions today that I should know about?"

Lips pursed, Lex replied, "Bought an apartment building at a decent price."

"I'm waiting."

A scowl appeared and Lex snapped, "We need protection, Clark."

"I *am* our protection," Clark snarled, pacing out his frustration.

"You can't be on guard every single moment, of every single day," Lex stated, definitive. "Hope and Mercy are there to keep you safe when you don't even know that you need the protection. I was thinking that Mercy would be a bit more suited to you, given how much you have to listen to Lois every day."

Clark stopped moving abruptly and said, "I am very close to taking a long walk back to Smallville right now, Lex. I want a straight answer, or I'm gone."

Paling, Lex dropped the attempt at levity and crossed to him, gripping Clark's arm as he explained, "They showed up at my office this morning. They have incredible references and we really do need them."

Feeling the words like a blow to his gut, Clark whispered, "Why? Don't you trust me to keep you safe?"

Understanding lit across Lex's face and he instantly cupped Clark's face. "God, yes, of course I do, Clark. I trust you implicitly and with every fiber of my being."

Still hurt, Clark asked, "Then why?"

"Because you can't watch me every second of the day and my...family...is a threat to you. A very real, and a very dangerous threat," Lex replied earnestly. "It would kill me if anything else happened to you, Clark. Please, please let me do this?"

Clark hesitated, seeing how much Lex wanted this from the completely open and unguarded expression on the other man's face. He knew that Lex chafed at the fact that he couldn't look after Clark as he really wanted to do. But Clark had never needed protection, still didn't to his own way of thinking, despite Lionel knowing his weakness.

Thank God Clark hadn't been stupid enough to reveal that he was Superman to Lionel while under the red Kryptonite's influence. "What about when I have to fly off and rescue someone? What's going to happen when they find out?"

Lex shifted uncomfortably and revealed, "They already know."

For a moment, Clark literally couldn't move as shock overloaded his system. Then anger chased it away and he questioned furiously, "Anyone else that you'd like to let in on the secret? Your father maybe?"

Flinching, Lex didn't say anything, his jaw flexing with the strength of his emotions. After a few silent moments, he finally replied, "I didn't tell them, Clark. They already knew when they came to see me."

Though the explanation made him want to apologize, Clark didn't. With everything going on, Lex should have talked to him first before hiring new muscle.

"Clark, please listen to me," Lex requested softly. "Trust me. Let me do this. Call it a hunch, or an instinct, but...we need them."

Clark at last conceded, grudgingly, "Superman doesn't need a bodyguard, Lex. It defeats the purpose."

"Absolutely," Lex agreed immediately.

"And no one had better see that I have a bodyguard," Clark continued. "What's the world going to think if Clark Kent shows up to work with one?"

Another nod. "No one will see her unless she has to actually save your life."

Feeling completely hemmed in, Clark finished firmly, "And only until Lucas is back in jail."

"Clark..."

Clark drew back, straightening up and exclaiming, "I mean it, Lex! I'll agree to this only under those conditions. When Lucas is locked up again, they both become your bodyguards and that's final."

Clearly frustrated, Lex didn't answer right away, instead rubbing a palm over his head and scowling at Clark. Eventually, he acquiesced, "All right. Until Lucas is back in jail. Happy?"

"Thrilled," Clark replied dryly. They stared at each other for a long moment, then Clark asked hesitantly, "Are you all right? Why were they using you for punching bag practice?"

As though suddenly remembering that he was in pain, Lex winced and held his ribs. "They were testing my skills to find out what I need to be taught."

Something like unwilling approval washed through Clark and he said, "That's good. Um, don't you think that maybe you shouldn't be pummeled quite so much though? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?"

Lex laughed sharply, then groaned. "They would never permanently damage me because yes, that definitely defeats the purpose. But I'm not afraid of pain and this was the best and quickest way to determine my skill level."

Shaking his head with dark amusement, Clark chided, "Well, come on, mastermind. Let's get you taped up and into bed. I'm exhausted just looking at you."

With a soft snicker, Lex allowed the arm that Clark put carefully around his waist and they headed for the door. Clark sighed in relief as Lex leaned against him. They were getting better at this couple thing. Trust was still hard sometimes, and anger got in the way a good amount of the time, but Clark knew that things would always work out for the best between them.

* * * *

The women were almost unnoticeable in their positions as Lex stared from the balcony at the glittering city below. It was spread out before him, beautiful, anticipating, waiting for him to take control. There were so many things to be done, so many plans to put in motion...plans within plans that were going to unfurl with exquisite detail. The world wouldn't know what hit it until it was too late.

Clark came up behind him, arms moving carefully to surround his waist, avoiding the hurt areas from his workout with Mercy and Hope. Warm, accepting, and loving lips pressed to the back of his throat and Lex smiled, covering Clark's hands with his own.

"Soon," Clark whispered hotly into his ear. "We'll move soon and the world will be remade as you want it to be, Lex. All for you, only for you."

Lex brought Clark's hands up and kissed the palms, one at a time, then leaned back into the embrace, staring again at the long-coveted beauty before him.

This was what was meant to be.

This was his destiny.

* * * *

Lex shuddered awake, panting as though he'd run for miles and feeling intensely nauseated. He rolled instinctively into Clark, pressing his face to the cool, smooth skin and breathing in his lover's soothing scent. It was getting so difficult to tell which world was real. If Hilshire didn't come up with that antidote as promised, Lex was afraid that he would never find out.

Even worse, if it didn't happen soon, it would be impossible for Lex to tell which one he *wanted* to be real.

Which one that he would *make* real.

END